


Vampire's Kiss

by DragonWhiskers



Series: Monsters Are We All [3]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Vampire Hunter D
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Attempted Stockholm Syndrome, Blood Drinking, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Bloodlust, F/M, Gothic Setting, Indentured Servitude, Loss of Virginity, Loss of blood, Lucid Dreaming, Monsters, Plutt is a Dick, Vampire AU, Vampire Hunter D Themes, Vampire! Kylo, Werewolves and Zombies, feudal hierarchy, mental manipulation, oh my!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2018-12-18 07:29:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 26,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11869506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonWhiskers/pseuds/DragonWhiskers
Summary: Rey falls into Lord Kylo Ren's lair and has to find her way through the darkness. Will she see the light of day again or will she be forever lost to the Vampire's Kiss?





	1. Hallowed Ground

For the hundredth time that day Rey cursed under her breath. She hated the wastelands. Hated the dry dusty winds that blew unrelenting across the seemingly endless sand fields. Nothing but low-lying scrub brush and ghosts dwelled out there.

Ghosts better left undisturbed, she thought, but Unkar Plutt gave her no choice. It was either retrieve what he wanted or be turned out of the sanctuary of the town. How she hated being his ward. For nearly as long as she could remember, he’d been her guardian. He treated her like an indentured servant rather than a ward.  

She cast her eyes eastward above the horizon, seeing dark clouds gathering. That wasn’t good, she thought, seeing flashes of sickly green light within the massing blackness. The storm was moving fast, sweeping across the plains. Rey could see the lightning striking some of the broken metal struts and twisted pillars jutting out of the ground. These storms were not natural.  The rain that fell was acidic, dangerous if one was caught out in it for a prolonged time, but the real threat was the lightning. The arcs would jump from any metallic surface to the next creating a chaotic net that could electrocute a full grown steer in seconds.

She needed to find shelter and soon. Rey guessed by the rate of the wind, she had maybe 20 minutes before the storm would overtake her. Not nearly enough time for her to reach the town's shield gates. She looked around, trying to see if there was anything she could hide in, but she was surrounded by the wreckage's of the last war, only metal shells and rusted wheels greeted her.  

Damn Plutt and his greed! The scrap was worth much, but not her life, Rey thought. Without a backwards glance, she hopped on her bike. If she could get to the canyon’s edge, maybe she could find a cave or overhang to wait out the worst of it.

She could come back for her haul later. Right now she needed to move. Rey jerked her goggles down as she kick-started the old motor. She hit the accelerator hard, leaving a cloud of dust and white exhaust behind her.

Rey didn't let up on the throttle, pushing her cobbled-together motorbike harder than she'd ever dared. Glancing back she saw the storm was growing, gaining on her. She could hear the thunder even over the roar of the straining engine.

“Not good. This is not good,” Rey said out loud, “C’mon baby, get me outta here!”

Frantically looking around now for anything that might pass as a shelter, Rey thought she was seeing a mirage.

There, just beyond the rise of the ravine, she saw the dark outline of a citadel. If the structure was still standing after the last war, surviving the storms and the erosion of the wastelands, it must still have functioning shields, at least in some capacity, she hoped.

She angled her path, pushing the bike to go even faster, feeling the frame start to shake as she put the the needle in red, “Keep it together. C'mon baby, keep it together!” She gripped the handle bars tighter, trying to steady her course as the shaking worsened.

The sky darkened overhead, blotting out the sun, taking away her shadow on the ground in front of her, the only thing that had been her constant companion while out in the wastelands. Rey could feel the cold winds warring with the hot desert air on her skin. Sand and grit whipped up around her and she could taste the acid on the damp gusts as they blew past her. The storm was gaining on her!

She had possibly only a hundred yards to go. Rey clenched her teeth and leaned on the handlebars, trying to speed the bike faster with just sheer force of will. She could see the beacon lights. The gatehouse to the ancient citadel was still active! All she needed to do was get there before the acid rains activated the shields. Once they were raised, nothing could get in or out.

Rey barely spared a glance up at the broken foreboding ruin that she was racing towards as the sound of a piston misfiring made her blood run cold. She was a little less than ten yards away, and she could feel the hairs on her body stand on end, static electricity crackling all around her. The bike started to lose momentum and Rey panicked, twisting the handles hard, sending the bike into a slide.

She closed her eyes and prayed, something she hadn't done since her parents were lost. Hanging on for dear life, she didn't see herself slide past the gatehouse posts.

When she felt the slide stop, it still took her a moment to process that she was indeed alive and inside the gateway. The dust was starting to settle as she opened her eyes and peeled her fingers off the grips. The bike took the brunt of the slide on the side panels she'd installed, not long after her first wreck. They protected her legs in case she ever spun-out again. Now they had saved more than just her skin.

She slowly stood, finding her legs were shaking from her adrenaline rush. Rey looked up, seeing the electromagnetic shields flickering as the acid rain fell onto them and the lighting rods caught the random strikes, absorbing the volts and recharging the power cells. She marveled at the design of the shields, elegant in their simplicity, being able to use the storms as a way to gather the power needed to deflect them at the same time, she thought that was pure genius. She couldn't wait to share this idea with Finn and Poe. Together they should be able to work out how to update the town's own shields in a similar fashion.

Thinking of town had Rey glancing down at her bike. She could see the engine was still smoking now that the dust had settled.

“Lovely, just bloody lovely.” She peered in, not daring to touch as the metal was radiating heat. She'd have to let it cool down before she could assess the damage. Rey tugged her bike upright and walked it over to the side of the gatehouse. She left it leaning against the wall.

It's not like anyone could steal it, she chuckled to herself; it wouldn't run anyway. Not that she thought there was anyone around to start with.

There had to be a maintenance shed around here someplace, she thought. Maybe she could find some tools and parts to help her with the repairs. Otherwise, it was going to be a long walk back to town. Really looking around for the first time, Rey was stunned to see the grounds inside the shields were green! Even in the poor light she could see how the trees and shrubs had grown wild over the last half century or so.

She tugged on her staff’s strap, reassuring herself it was at the ready. Who knew what else had grown wild and was lurking in these gardens as well?

Maintenance shed - she needed to find tools and parts. Trying to keep that as her main focus, Rey moved toward the set to small buildings adjacent to the gatehouse, hoping one of them would have what she needed. She entered one of the buildings at random, the door opening with a loud groan of rusted metal. Signs of long disuse covered every surface as well. Rey tried to let her eyes adjust to the near blackness, trying to make out the details of the space.

A loud crack of lightning scared her into at half scream and she clamped her hand down over her own mouth to stifle herself, but the lightning had illuminated the room long enough for her to see a small utility lantern on the shelf to her left. Grabbing it, Rey wiped away the thick layer of dust, giving it a gentle tilt. When she didn’t hear anything indicating the powercell or coil was broken, Rey still held her breath as she flipped the switch. The lantern hummed for a few moments before it sparked to life with a faint white glow, casting enough light for her to see the room’s outline. It was still not enough light for her to see everything clearly and certainly not enough light to do any repairs by. She’d just have to wait for the storm to pass before she could hunt for anything to fix her bike.

Stepping back outside, Rey glanced up at the looming structure above her at the center of the grounds. Towering metal spires and jagged-looking flying buttresses spoke of a bygone era. The thing looked like it should topple over at any moment, leaving a crumbled pile of blackened metal jutting out of the ground. The far side looked like it had already collapsed leaving the citadel looking asymmetrical, but somehow that added to its visual appeal.

Rey found herself walking towards the entrance without even thinking about it.

Overhead the storm pressed down on the shields, the thunder rumbling at a near constant rate, and the counterpoint of the electric crack of the lightning as the rods attracted it and harnessed the volts giving off a wavering ambient light that illuminated the stone path Rey found her feet upon.

A sudden flash so intense it seemed as bright as the sun for a brief second or two left ghost flares and spots across her vision. The grounds around her were eerily quiet. No insects, no birds, no wildlife of any kind, leaving only silence to greet her as she walked closer to the ornate double doors.

Rey hesitated on the first step of the wide marble terrace. Should she go inside?

The scavenger in her thrilled at the possible treasures and the wealth of old tech that she might find. It seemed likely that this stronghold had never been raided. If it still had a functioning gate and shields - what else might still be in working order?   

But she still hesitated - if this citadel had never been raided, why? What had prevented others from taking its secrets? Anxiety and apprehension marched up over her spine and down her arms. What if the Lord was still here, still in residence? The thought that there might still be a _noble_ here made Rey’s heart speed up and her breath catch.

A drop of cold rain hit her on the back of the neck, making her jump and squeal in fright. She looked up, blinking in surprise and fear as another drop hit her cheek, another her arms. The rain was starting to fall faster; soon it would be a downpour. Rey panicked and ran up the low terrace, throwing her shoulder against the doors, shoving hard. She needed to get out of the poisonous rain, and the doors groaned loudly before swinging open and she tumbled into the grand hall.


	2. All That Glitters

She stood and frantically closed the doors, breathing hard and leaning her head heavily down on her forearms against the doors. She gulped in air and tried to slow her breathing, listening to the rain began to fall in earnest, the sound turning into a low roar as it echoed off the vaulted ceiling. 

Rey wiped her forehead on her arms and rubbed the back of her neck, finally realizing there was no sting to the rain water! Did the shields filter the rain as well? As that thought dawned on her, she turned, pressing her back to the door and slid down to rest on the floor. How else could the grounds be so lush and green? The shields had to filter the acid out, enough so that it allowed the plants and trees to flourish out here in the wastelands. She sat there in awe at this marvel of this ancient tech.

How much they had lost in the last great war. So much knowledge gone, wiped out when the lower class had finally revolted, fighting to throw off the yoke of their rulers, dragging the world into chaos. So much had burned, the only sure way the people were certain to rid themselves of the nobles and their unnatural cohorts. So much blood had been split.

Thirty years after the last of the fighting had stopped, the countryside was trying to rebuild. The great cities were uninhabitable, left to rust and weather the elements in desolation. The order of things had been disrupted and yet now the last of them tried to reshape their little pockets of humanity, little more the banded together refugees. Some thinking they were stronger or smarter tried to rule as the Nobles had ruled, but what they lacked was just want granted the nobility their titles and lands; _Noble blood_. None of the would be Lords and self proclaimed Barons had a drop of Noble blood in them, if they did, they would have burned along with the rest of the ones that died.

Rey shuddered at remembering her history lessons. Things best left buried, she thought, but the shields, now that was something she knew would only help her village and better the lives of all in it. She knew the town’s hydroponic system functioned fine, but since the town had a limited water source, the now nearly depleted subterranean lake the town was built above, water was strictly monitored to make sure it was always reclaimed.

Being able to filter and use the acid rain water would be a major boost to the dwindling water supply. They might be able to replenish the underground lake over time, and maybe, just maybe she’d be able to earn to herself a place on the Engineer's Council and finally get out from under Plutt’s thumb for good.

She needed to find the control room for the shields, there she should be able to map out the schematics for the shields that kept this place mostly intact over the last half century or more.

The control room must be in the citadel itself.

Rey pushed off from the floor with renewed determination. Visions of her life - free of Plutt’s greedy eyes and ever roaming hands fill her mind as she started down the grand hallway, walking deeper into the gloom of the place. Her small lantern cast a pale sphere of light, allowing her to see the vague outlines of the walls and some of the portraits that hung on them. Her footsteps were muffled by the thick layer of dust and grime covering marble floors. The interior seemed vast, even with the darkness that kept it mostly in secret.

She approached the collapsed skeleton of the grand staircase at the end of the hall, and she squinted up at the portrait that was above the rubble. It was still intact, but lost to the shadows; only a pair of pale hands clasp atop a black clad knee were visible with her merger lantern. A black stone golden ring resided on the top hand, so well rendered it looked like it caught the light and reflected it back.

Rey looked over the pile of marble and twisted metal under the painting, thinking if she climbed the dangling railing, she might be able to reach the second floor, but she guessed the control room would be somewhere in the bowels of the palace, not in the upper living quarters. Most likely the room would be somewhere near the servant's quarters. Those would be near the basement or the kitchens, she thought.

She was only guessing, but it seemed like a good hunch. Plus, why try to climb broken stairs when logic dictated there would be other stairs, possibly still intact?

Rey took an open archway off the the right, remembering the outer collapsed wing of the citadel, walking past the dilapidated stairs, hoping this path would loop around past the main hall. There were random doors hanging open all along the corridor, with more portraits of pale, well dressed Lords and Ladies adorning the walls, ornate end tables and vases of long dead flowers and plants, all collecting cobwebs. The glint of gold peeked out from under decades upon decades of dust and corrosion greeted her as she examined the rooms.

Broken furniture, slashed cushions and destroyed painting littered the floor of some rooms she peaked into, looking like wild animals had indeed run rampant demolishing everything within their reach, even the walls showed signs of damage. Those rooms made her feel uneasy, but not as uneasy feeling as the rooms that were untouched, with their layer of thick gray dust. The untouched rooms gave Rey a chill and she thought she could see the shadows waver and morph in the meager light her lantern cast into them.

While the untouched rooms unnerved her, Rey had to admit they were lavishly decorated, obviously meant for lovely high born ladies and handsome stately man, high society as it had been up until thirty years ago. This was a place for Lords and Ladies to sit and laugh, drink and dine. Rey quickly closed the door on the last room in the hallway, turning down the next archway leading off to the south.

She was looking for more familiar looking accommodations. The servants quarters, not these rooms with gold scrolling across the ceilings and down the walls. Rooms that were not so lavishly furnished and to her mind, but ones far more sensible. She would feel a little better rummaging through those, as opposed to what was meant for the ruling class. 

As she walked down the next corridor, she could hear the steady downpour, growing louder. Rey surmised she must be close to either a collapsed roof or the outer walls of this wing. Neither helped her in her search, so she turned into the closest hall branching off in a different direction. The sound of  the pounding of the rain lessen as she moved deeper into the citadel.

Starting with the first door she came across, Rey began to systematically check each room, finding some doors to be locked, while others were barely hanging on their hinges. No longer finding drawing rooms or grand dining halls, she was now finding bedrooms and living quarters. Crushed armoires, broken vanities and ripped curtains littered room after room. 

Seeing all this destruction and waste was becoming disheartening. Shaking her head at the uselessness of it all, she closed the door stepping back into the hallway. Rey sighed, turning to admire what was left of the painting at the end of the hall.

Rising her lantern, she could see the portrait of a young nobleman dressed in rich heavy black and silver brocades. His pale face in profile, showing a large aquiline nose, and a heavy brow. Thick black waves curled around framing his long cheek and down along his jawline. Moles and beauty marks dotted his face. Two in particular above his dark amber eye, caught Rey’s attention. His face and shoulder was all that was left visible of the canvas. The rest had been destroyed by what she guessed to be lamp oil and glass, judging by the remnants of a smashed glass lamp under the painting and the creeping corrosion on the canvas itself.

Shame, she thought before moving along, the man had been strangely attractive to her mind, she felt it sad that someone would deliberately destroy the portrait. There was a tarnished plaque under the painting.

“Lord Kylo Ren,” she read aloud, after running her fingers over the engraving, glancing back up at the young lord then.

Before she had time to contemplate more, a cold draft skidded over her skin. Rey paused and looked back behind her at the closest door. She had thought that one to be locked, but now it stood ajar.

Backtracking down the hall, Rey peeked inside to see a small study, seemingly cozy even, compared to the scale and feel of the rest of the citadel. She stepped inside, only opening the door as far as needed for her to slip past it. The study was lined with dusty, yellowing books, a broken piano that looked like it had been cleaved down the middle, was taking up the far corner. There was a fireplace in the side wall and to Rey’s surprise, it appeared sound upon further inspection. 

She paused again, considering the creeping chill that was starting to steal into her body and the slowly diminishing light of her lantern. The idea of a small fire, glowing orange and bright, was a welcomed one, the thought of some warmth was too appealing for her to pass up. Maybe she could wait out the worst of the storm, waiting for some daylight to continue in her hunt.

Rey looked over at the piano in the corner, thinking of the young lord’s face, wondering how he might feel about how his smashed piano was going to keep her warm for the night. She snorted at her own silly notions and set about finding dry pages and enough dry wood to start a small fire.

Within a few minutes of trying Rey was able to get the old brittle pages to start smoldering. Afterwards she returned the lighter to her survival kit, and soon she had the smaller sticks and kindling catching fire. She sat there for a long time, just watching the flames grow, listening to the old varnished wood pop and sizzle. She tried to mainly use the guts of the piano, wanting to keep the fumes down, but it seemed the chimney was still in working order, making that plan obsolete.

Rey had shut the lantern off once the fire was going steady, hoping the power cell would recharge itself. She had very little to occupy her mind, eyes drifting around the room, Rey thought about seeing if any of the books were still legible. Selecting one of the least damaged looking ones, she settled down with the side of the fireplace at her back.

The book was an account of the Battle of Geonosis, the battle that was credited with the start of the Endtimes. Rey knew the battle's story, but the details in this book were fascinating, if a bit dry and academic in its retelling. She read until her eyes burned with fatigue and she had to stifle her yawns. Leaning her head back, with the warmed bricks of the fireplace at her back, Rey drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are two weeks later and now we get to follow our inquisitive heroine as she explores the dank, dark and decrepit citadel. OooooOOOOooooo! or finds a decent place to wait out the storm and take a nap....that never ends well does it?
> 
> Ok, just me being silly there. Kinda feel like a truck ran me over last night in my sleep, so don't mind me today. Work is going to be _great_ , I can just feel it. >.<
> 
> In other news my Renaissance Faire season is officially underway, that's why I've set this one up for two-week postings, instead of trying to bang one out every week or so. Also fear not, I haven't abandoned my other works, though they are on the back burner for now. I've got mental leads on all of my current stories, I've just found that I am having trouble focusing on one storyline at a time now. I'm going to plow through Kiss and then take a Monsters break and try and wrap up [Dreaming Against The Stars](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8591173) and see if I can wrap up [The Things We Crave](http://archiveofourown.org/series/392869) as well. The next chapter in Poison, well, it has finally started to take shape, but it still pretty vague. I'm going to let that one stew a while longer.


	3. Noble Deeds

Rey stared around the room in a daze. She had no memory of where she was or how she came to be there. It was softly lit by dozens of candles and every surface that she could see was gleaming, either with the thick varnish on the wood or with the warm glow of polished gold. She took a step closer to the nearest wall sconce, noticing the candles were flickering in a pattern. How fascinating, she thought, for she could see no wires or fuse, just the steady pulse of a heatless flame.

She approached the vanity, her eyes drawn by the small shining bottles and things set around it, but then her reflection in the mirror caught her attention.

Rey just stared. 

She hardly recognized herself as the woman looking back at her. Her chestnut hair was piled high on her head in a bun, pinned up and styled with a few ringlets hanging down her neck and over her shoulder. The strange candlelight made her eyes look more hazel than ever before. The neckline of the gown she was wearing sat off her shoulders with little cap sleeves hugging her upper arms. The gown was all cream satin with lace, cinched tight at her waist and then draping off her hips to meet the lace-tiered train in the back. She sucked in a quick breath at how lovely the gown looked. She’d never seen anything like it.

As she was still staring at herself, she didn’t notice the door open behind her. The sudden appearance of a stately man startled her out of her indulgence, causing her to jump slightly. Rey turned to apologize for her distraction, but she was struck dumb at the sight of him. The man's appearance was stately indeed, with his fitted black coat and shiny shoes, but there was something she found strange as well. It wasn't until he motioned for her to precede him out of the room that Rey was able to see the reason for her unease. The man was made of metal!

His mannerisms were that of an astute servant, holding himself stiffly at the door, patiently waiting for her to decide when she would exit, but leaving no way for her to decide against the option either. Rey stared at his hands, still holding the door open with one and the other extended out to usher her through the doorway. They were covered with pristine white gloves. She glanced up into his face and saw the gold metallic cast to his skin and the deep golden glow of his yellow eyes. The same as the strange candle-like lights. 

Rey still hesitated, but she finally stepped through the doorway. She heard the butler close the door softly behind her before he walked in front of her, guiding her down the hallway. 

As they walked Rey could hear music in the distance. It seemed to be growing louder as she followed the stiff, straight back of the butler. More candlelights lined the hallway, held in golden scrollwork wall sconces, casting pools of pale yellow light along the floor and ceiling.

She looked around the hall, seeing paintings hanging along the way showing people in various states of activities with clothing and style varying as much as the activities themselves. Rey paused, not understanding what she was seeing in one of the paintings, but then as her eyes started to make sense of them, she felt her face heat up before she rushed past. More and more of the painting’s scenes were verging on erotic, and she didn’t know how to feel about the blatant displays of sexuality. As she hurried to step behind the butler, Rey tried to not glance back. The image of that man and women were now burned into her mind.

The hall came to an end with the butler opening another set of doors. The noise of people and the music that had been steadily increasing now hit her fully as he ushered her into the next room. Rey was reluctant to step into the crowded room, but before she had the chance to retreat the metal man had already closed the doors. 

The room was enormous but it felt cramped, claustrophobic even, with the press of so many people. Rey just stared at the finery all around her. Everyone was laughing or talking or sweeping gracefully across the ballroom floor. Each new pair Rey looked at seemed to be more splendidly dressed than the last, in dark but vibrant colors and sparkling gems, making Rey feel woefully understated in her pale gown. All the ladies had their necks adorned with jewels, ribbon or gold necklaces, while hers felt baren by contrast.

She tried to skirt the edge of the marble dance floor, working her way around the room, hoping to find another exit, but she was jostled by some unknowing guests and bodily pushed out into the dancing crowd. 

The music came to a stop and everyone was staring at her. Rey felt her face flush and knew it was bright red if anyone glanced her way. 

The faces of these people seemed to grow colder, pale, and hollow the longer they looked at her. The women were all beautiful, but in an icy way, cold and cruel. The men seemed to be just as cold, hard, and unwavering in their gazes. 

One of the ladies raised her glass of red wine and took a long drink while staring at Rey. For some reason, just watching the woman drink made Rey shiver. She looked away to see others around her holding wine glasses as well, either drinking or dipping long pale fingers in and sucking them clean. The crowd had encircled her and was staring back. She felt trapped by them.

One of the men smiled at her and Rey saw his elongated canines, his fangs between his bloodless lips. 

Rey realized she was surrounded by  _ nobility _ then, as hers was the only heartbeat in the room that could be heard. It sounded like thunder in her ears. 

She was going to die.

The circle of the undead parted at the sound of a deep bell chiming the entrance of someone. Rey swallowed hard, her throat so dry it hurt to do so. 

A tall man with broad shoulders and soft waves of black hair stepped past the circle of vampires, stepping right up to her. Rey stared at him in surprise, her feet rooted to the spot.

His face seemed so familiar, yet she was sure she’d never met him before. Pale as the rest of the nobles around her, his face was an odd mix of large features and a multitude of beauty marks that seemed to blend into his imperious appearance. His dark hooded eyes were focused on her. 

Rey quickly looked away from his intense gaze to sweep her eyes down the rest of him. He wore no jewels or adornments, unlike the rest of the gathered crowd, though his neck was covered by a high stiff collar, save for a small gap in the middle where a cravat could have rested. He was wearing an open double-breasted coat in black, tapering sharply at his waist, then flaring out below his hip and back down behind his knees. Her eyes traveled down his long black-clad legs to stare at the floor in front of his boots.

She watched as his leather-gloved hand reached out before he tilted her chin up, bringing her eyes back up to look at him. Rey couldn’t suppress the tremors that were starting to run through her at his proximity. Though his face was devoid of expression, he did not have the same cold feeling she was sensing from the rest of the gathering, but the intensity of his attention was enough to unnerve her all the same. 

The music started up without warning. The sudden rise in sound would have caused Rey to jump, but her body was frozen under his steady gaze. She watched him give the faintest smirk, tilting her chin up just a touch more before he stepped unabashedly into her space, placing his free hand around her waist and pulling her with him as he stepped back.

Rey had no idea how to dance, but her body was no longer hers, it seemed. She could no more stop her feet from following the dark-haired man’s lead than she could pull the stars from the sky.

He proceeded to whirl them around inside the circle of undead spectators. None of the nobility resumed dancing, and Rey felt all of them staring at her. Her breathing was speeding up, catching up with her rampant heartbeat. She  _ knew  _ they could hear it! She couldn't help the shivering fear that was creeping along her neck and down her bare arms.

Each face she glanced at seemed devoid of life, hollow cheeks, impossibly pale skin, long fingers ending in pointed nails. She thought she felt those cold hands reach out to trail nails like knife points over her bare neck. 

Rey looked back up at the man holding her, the man keeping her locked in this dance. He seemed unaffected by the leering horde gathered around them. Rey looked closer at him. Yes, he was pale, but not the ghostly white of the others, his face, his lips still held traces of warmth and color. 

Another clammy hand brushed against her and Rey nearly jumped away, moving to bury herself in the man's arms. His chest was broad and felt very solid under her cheek as she hid her face away from the vampires in the room. She didn't want to see her death coming, didn't want to see their hungry faces as they closed in on her.

She squeezed her eyes shut, terrified, hiding her face and biting her lip to keep from crying out, hoping it would be over quickly 

Then a cool leather glove brushed over her exposed neck, gently covering it. His fingers caressed her tightly corded muscles and tendons while he wrapped his other arm more securely around her lower back, pulling her closer to him as if he would keep her safe from the lurking undead.

Rey felt his thumb slide along the back of her jaw and down below her ear. It was such an odd place for him to caress, but then she realized his thumb was now resting on the pulsing vein just under her skin and she felt no such beating under her hands pressed against his chest. Rey looked up in slow dawning horror, realizing she had tried to hide in a  _ vampire’s _ arms.   


The vampire was staring at her, his eyes seemed to be burning but were so dark she couldn’t tell if they were black or not; it was as if his pupils had swallowed the color. His skin was just as pale as the rest of the others gathered around them, but Rey found she could not look away from him. His fingers pressed into her neck, just enough that she could feel her heartbeat push against the leather before he slid his hand down slowly to press it over her frantic heart.

He was starting to lean his head down, his full lips slightly parted. The expression he wore confused Rey. He looked like he was in a trance, caught up in something she didn't understand. As he ducked his head down lower, out of her line of vision and closer to her neck, she began to struggle.

The hand at her back tightened, pulling her flush against him, bowing her spine back as she tried to push against him. He brought his hand up to wrap back around her neck, effectively caging her against him in his arms. She felt his nose ghost along her neck, up under her jawbone, before he breathed out a faint moan next to her skin.

Rey froze, unsure of why that sound made her more nervous than the reality of his mouth so close to her throat. She felt him drag his lips up, lightly mouthing over her skin, gently sucking on her jugular. Rey swallowed her own small moan at the sensation of his lips on her. Why did it feel so good? The wet slide of his tongue made her shiver, but when she felt the press of his fangs on her skin, Rey panicked and started struggling again, fighting back against his hold on her.

He didn't even acknowledge she was pushing against him. Her attempts to put some distance between them were as feeble as that of a sparrow caught in a storm. For all her efforts she might as well be beating her fists against a wall. 

A sob left her, quiet and unstoppable, but that sound made him pause his movements. Rey held perfectly still, waiting, not even daring to breathe. She felt the tension in him then, how tightly he was holding himself and her. His body felt like stone under the press of her hands. 

He pulled his head up to look down at her and she saw his eyes were devoid of color, the darkness had seeped outwards from his irises, swallowing everything. Rey felt herself relax, felt the tension leave her. Held in the grip of his eyes nothing mattered anymore, only that he was there. 

She felt him caress her face, the soft brush of leather down her cheek and tracing along her lips before he tilted his head down,  pressing his parted mouth against hers. Rey was still, unable to respond as he kissed her, held frozen by his gaze.

He ravished her mouth, kissing and licking with unrestrained passion before he trailed his kiss down her jaw and back to her waiting throat. She felt him kissing her skin, hungrily sucking more into his mouth, before he bit down with increasing pressure. 

The pain was sharp and immediate. Rey screamed, struggling to be free of his hold. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, folks, I did it again, but it really was the best place to cut the end of the chapter....
> 
> Sooooo I really want to know what your impressions are of Lord Ren thus far. Not a hell of a lot to go on so far, but the first impression is so often not what we want them to be.
> 
> And hugs to [Pandora_Spocks](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandora_Spocks/pseuds/Pandora_Spocks) for taking the time to give this chapter the once over. :)


	4. Home Is Where the Hurt Is

In her panic she jerked, blinking away the nightmare still clinging to her mind. She slapped her hand over her neck, checking for a wound and finding none.

She looked around in a daze, not understanding where she was, but quickly it came back to her. The storm, the citadel. The fire had long since gone out and she could feel the last of the heat leaving the bricks at her back, but she was surprisingly still very warm. 

Reaching out to tug her blanket more securely about her shoulders, she froze. 

She didn’t have a blanket, yet she was wrapped up in a thick soft black drape of some kind. Where had this come from, she wondered.

The answer to that question was something she was certain she didn’t want to know. She lightly sniffed at the nearest edge of material and she shuddered as she recalled that scent. The vampire in her nightmare had smelled just like that, heady with rich spices, but there was an underlying scent that made Rey’s stomach curdle: the scent of iron, the scent of blood.

Rey swallowed hard, fighting back her sudden fear. She looked around quickly, seeing no one and nothing different, but still felt her heart thump in her chest. She stood, taking the cloth in her hands and shaking it out. Rey could see it was a cloak.

She thought she was going to faint. He was  _ here! _ He had to be here; how else had she gotten cocooned in a nobleman’s cloak!

She tried to slow her movements, trying to keep some small measure of her dignity as she neatly folded the cloak. She gently laid it on the ground, hoping that would be accepted as gratitude for the  _ noble _ that allowed her to sleep in his home. She hoped he didn’t want more in the way of repayment for his hospitality or for her blatant intrusion of his home. 

Rey glanced one last time at the folded cloak, not sure if she was doing the right thing or not before she bolted out of the study and down the decrepit hallway. She quickly retraced her steps, wanting to keep her trespassing to no more than she already had. The secrets of the citadel’s shields be damned, Rey thought, she needed to leave. Rey nearly cried in relief when she saw the doors at the end of the grand hall.

She rushed to them, dignity and pride no longer having a place within her as she grabbed the handle, but she paused just before pulling the door open. Intense dark eyes flashed in her mind's eye, staying her hand. Was he here? Was he watching her flee? Did he care? 

For a moment, Rey remembered his arms about her as he held her, keeping her safe from everything. Her grip on the curved brass scrollwork slipped, her fingers feeling numb for a heartbeat, then two, before she jerked the door open.

Harsh sunlight blinded her as she started out onto the entrance terrace. She quickly shut the door behind her, fleeting thoughts of having trapped the vampire in his domain crossed her mind as she blinked in the bright glare of the noonday sun. The heat was already climbing and she immediately missed the coolness of darkened citadel. Shaking that odd emotion from her head, Rey started to jog, remembering too late that her motorbike was in no condition to get her home.

With a heavy sigh, she thought of the near full day's trek it would take her to reach town on foot. She'd need to leave right then if she wanted to be within a safe distance before sunset, and she only had the rations left in her saddlebag. Rey knew she was in for a long and unpleasant journey. 

As she neared the gatehouse, she saw her bike had been moved. It now sat upright on a new kickstand. The front panel shield had been polished, too. It gleamed in the sunlight, clean of all scratches and dust. Rey approach slowly, knowing full well who had done this, but why, she thought, why would a nobleman have her bike repaired? 

She looked over the motor, seeing chrome pipes and steel struts. It looked like a completely different engine had been installed.  New shocks, too. Part of Rey’s brain wondering how fast it would go, while the rest of her mind worried over how indebted this would make her to the Lord of this place. Should she just leave the bike and walk to town? What did he gain from giving this to her?

She couldn't puzzle the problem out in her mind and realized she was wasting daylight by just standing there worrying. The bike was hers after all, and if some vampire wanted to play grease monkey with her bike, well there really wasn't a way to stop him. And this allowed her to retrieve her haul for Plutt, so her two days weren't a total loss. 

Her mind made up, Rey hopped on the bike and was grinning as the new engine roared to life. She pulled her goggles down and left a trail of white dust in her wake.

 

~

 

As the motorbike shrank in the distance, a tall figure stood watching from a shadowy alcove, high up in the citadel’s tower, a cloaked sentinel at his back, silently waiting for his master's command.

The vampire Lord merely nodded his head, not willing to take his eyes off the slowly diminishing figure of the girl that had intruded on his solitude. 

The sentinel bowed deeply before departing from the tower’s balcony. 

Kylo Ren looked out onto the horizon, watching the shadows cast by the clouds as they drifted by the arid land surrounding his stronghold. His gaze lingered long after the white dust had settled. 

He recalled how bold and determined she had been entering his home compared to how timidly she had started at him. Such a contradiction. 

She reminded him of himself. 

Delving into her dreams had been relatively easy; watching her walk amongst his class had been an entirely different matter.

She had worn her innocence like a shield. Her delight over the simplest things, her wonder over things new to her - it had invigorated him. He remembered just how exquisite she had been draped in that cream satin, like pure radiant light, a beacon for him to follow.

The feel of her trembling body trying to hide in his arms, seeking safety, a sanctuary in him. As she tried to hide from the others in the ballroom, he had given up on restraining himself. He had wanted to know her taste, to  _ know _ her. Even in the dream trance, she had tasted divine. 

He had not meant to indulge himself in her physical form, but after draping her in his cloak, watching her cold body huddle under its warmth, he hadn't thought to stop himself. He had lifted her hand, inspecting her chipped nails and calloused fingers, watching her blood flow along the thin skin of her wrist. He tilted her head to the side and let his fingers graze over her sweet throat. 

He wanted her then, wanted her so badly it gripped his empty aching heart; yet he had let her go. Let her flee from him. He could see she had had a rough life; toil and sorrow were etched into her very being. He understood she would not be easily wooed. 

Soon. 

Soon she would be with him again, and then he would keep her safe. He would keep her in luxury and splendor and keep her by his side. Then he could taste her as often as he wished.

  
  


~

  
  


It was nearing sunset by the time Rey pulled her haul up to the town’s gate, but she made it. She knew she’d only feel safe once she was inside the town’s walls. 

Rey tried not to fidget as she stood by and let the gate guards inspect her salvage sled. She caught one of them eyeing her bike. She had hoped the dust kicked up by her ride would have hidden the new parts under a layer of grime, but some of it still gleamed in the fading light, mainly where her legs had gripped the sides. She tried to stand in the direct line of sight of the guy, but then the gatemaster was ushering her along. 

Rey took no time in following his directions and headed straight to Plutt’s salvage yard. She only wanted to unload this haul and find her friends for a nightcap at the pub. Hoping a drink and a decent night’s sleep would put these uneasy feelings from her mind, Rey walked into Plutt’s office wanting to get the last of the unpleasantness over with. 

He was behind his desk, like always. The formless bulk of him was kept in place by sheer willpower, Rey mused. He often made her think of one of the mist monsters that had no true form, just blobs of carnivores gas-like bodies that stalked the grasslands and pastures at night. His bald head and nonexistent neck poked out of his coat like it was sewn on him. He acknowledged her with a grunt, not even looking up from his paperwork.

“You’re late, girl,” came his gruff voice. 

“Yeah, got stuck in a storm,” she ventured, not wanting to elaborate on where she sheltered. “I did find everything you asked for.”

“I heard you fixed up that bike of yours.” He looked up, and Rey worried he’d seen her startled expression before she could hide it.

“I...I found some part in the cave I was sheltering in. They fit good enough; it runs better now,” she stammered, wondering how in the Hell he heard about her bike already. She’d come straight here from the gate...unless it was that guard...

“Hmmm. How much?”

“What? No! I just fixed it - I’m not selling it!” she yelled, too stunned to think straight. 

“Well then if you ain't interested in selling, how ‘bout I just take it.”

“No! How else will I scavenge what you want out there?” That bike was her livelihood! He couldn’t be serious, she thought.

“I think your days outside the walls are done. If you won’t be nice to me, then I’ll tell the council where you spent the night.” Plutt leaned over his desk, towering over her in his tiny office. 

Rey’s breath caught in her throat. How would he know that? There was no way for him to have any knowledge of where she had been, she thought. 

“I don't know what you are talking about.” She forced herself to sound brave, braver than she felt. He had to be bluffing. 

“Ha! I put a tracker on that bike of yours two months ago. I wanted to know where you were finding all that old tech out in the wastes,” Plutt smiled at her and the sight made her stomach twist. “Seems I had good reason to be suspicious. There's no reason why a vampire would let you go, so you must have made a deal with him, and there is only one thing a vampire would want. Now be a good girl and show me where he bit you.” His voice dropped to a sickening croon as he stood up to walk around the desk. The look in his eyes was more disgusting than his voice. He was excited by the idea.

Rey’s hand flew to her throat, though she knew there were no marks on her skin. “I wasn't bitten! I - I didn't see _ anyone _ while I was there!” she squeaked, her voice raising with her anxiety and uncertainty. She hadn't inspected all of her body; she hadn't had time.

“Ooh, we both know that there are a number of places you could be hiding a bite. Now either you show me, or I'll tell the council,” he started to reach for her and Rey backed up, keeping her eyes on him, still in utter shock.  _ How dare he! _

“Fuck you, Plutt. I'd rather face a firing squad then take your _ offer,” _ she said grabbing the door handle, jerking it open. She fled out of the house, trying to avoid attention, walking with an angry gait, wanting to get to her bike as fast as possible. She needed to leave.

If Plutt took his accusations to the council…

“Hey, you! Stop right there!” came a shout. Rey glanced over her shoulder as she was nearly at her bike. Two guards were walking towards her. One had his rifle drawn but pointed at the ground at least. The other had a pair of shackles held in one hand.

Oh no, she thought, but how? There was no way for him to have contacted the council that quickly unless he had been lying the entire time. 

“You're coming with us. No need for this to get ugly,” the guard with the shackles said, but it was the other one she was watching. He was raising the rifle just enough that he could have had her in the sights in seconds. There was no way she could run for it and not get shot in the back.

Rey raised her hands a slowly, “I want to speak to Captain Dameron,” she loudly. 

The two guards exchanged a look before the first one approached her, shackles raised. “Alright, we'll get Captain Dameron for you. Now come along with us.”

Rey stayed passive as she was shackled and lead through the town's streets. She tried to ignore the looks from the people they passed, but she heard the gasps and saw the people gripping their crosses as if the holy item would ward her off. Rey felt stricken. How could they turn on her so fast? And with no proof?

She willed herself to feel nothing as she was placed in a holding cell, but once the bars had slid into place and she was left alone in the cold dank cell block, Rey broke.

She curled up, hugging her knees to her chest and let herself cry until she cried herself to sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So trying something new here with the little peek inside our vampire's head. For the last two Monster stories, I stuck with a one person POV, for this one, I want to jump into our "monster's" head from time to time so we can get some of his perspective on the situation at hand. I'm not sure if I like the format or not, but I'll finish this one out like this and see how it stands at the end. 
> 
> And hugs to [Pandora_Spocks](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandora_Spocks/pseuds/Pandora_Spocks) for really wanting a sneak peek, eh, um I mean giving this a once over. ;)


	5. Something In The Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is kinda gory folks, so if you're squeamish, keep that in mind.

She sat with her back to the far wall, giving herself a clear view of her cell’s only door. It was a small room with three solid walls. One wall was made completely out of two-inch-thick steel bars and one tiny window set high in the wall Rey was leaning against. There was only a thin metal bench for her to use as a cot, she guessed, but no sink or toilet. Clearly, this cell was not meant for long-term holding, she hoped.

She sighed, glancing up at the ceiling before staring back at the bars that made up the door. She had mentally dismantled the bolting lock over a dozen times in her mind, but without any tools, all she could do was think about it. Rey lightly thumped her head on the wall, wanting to kick herself for setting foot in the citadel. No amount of old tech was worth this. Rey knew what was in store for her. The council would have a meeting called, and she’d be paraded in.  A blood draws and test performed before everyone so there would be no way anyone could claim the results were tampered with. Then, if they were not happy with the results, the doctors would strip her down and exam every inch of her, looking for possible bite marks.

Rey shivered at the idea. She hated feeling like she was on display for anyone, and she knew Plutt would be there too. That thought disgusted her even more.

A loud groan of hinged metal reached her ears, coming from the end of the hall. Rey watched two familiar faces come into view, both smiling at her. Their smiles were contagious, and she found herself grinning in return. Finn and Poe were there, and she knew from the shared look on their faces they had managed to get her freed.

Poe pulled her cell door open, and she jumped up and hugged Finn. How she loved these two! Before she even had a chance to ask how they had accomplished winning her freedom, another figure stepped out of the shadows behind them.

Rey felt a pang of fear for a moment, but then Poe turned and ushered them all out of the cell.

“So, how? How’d you do it?” she asked as they walked down the hall, “How’d you get me out of there?”

As they rounded the corner, her friends stopped walking and turned around to hug her tightly, one at a time, before they looked over her shoulder at something. Rey was bewildered at their odd behavior, but as she turned to see what they were looking at, she felt large hands grip her shoulders.

She turned around to see his face, just as the last time she’d seen it, stoic, yet there was still a softness around his dark eyes. He lifted one of his gloved hands and lightly traced her cheek, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. He smiled, an upturn of closed lips, but the sight made her smile brightly in return.

 _He had saved her; he had come to take her away from all of this._ The thought ran clearly through her mind. She didn’t think about it as the feeling of joy and gratitude overcame her; she just leaped into his arms, wrapping hers around his chest in a tight hug. She felt his cloak close over them as his arms encircled her, pulling her in closer to him. Rey nuzzled her face in his chest, happy to be held and grateful to be safe. 

“I will never let anyone hurt you. You are mine and I will keep you safe,” he murmured, his voice soothing and low. Rey could not remember ever having been told that. It made her gasp.

 

The metal cell door clanged loudly, waking Rey with a start. She looked around wildly, trying to see what was going on. The cell was dark. There was no light from the end of the row nor from the window, which was so high up on the wall she could only see a glimpse of the inky black sky.

The door clanged again.

Rey jerked her head toward the sound. That wasn’t right, she thought. It sounded like it was blowing in the wind, but there was no draft inside the cell house. Trying to shake the dream from her head, she stood and went to the door of her cell, looking between the bars and trying to see down the hallway.

Rey held her breath as she heard the metal door creak as it slowly closed. She leaned forward, craning her neck trying to see what was going on. The cell door nudged open at her touch.

She jumped back slightly, eyes darting everywhere in confusion. The eerie silence, the unlocked cell - she didn't understand what had happened. She wondered, Where was everyone?

Rey didn't debate long. She pushed her cell door open, careful to be as quiet as possible as she crept out into the hallway. She could see the lights were flickering at the end of the cellblock. The metal door separating the holding area from the main room and offices was open. Rey kept her eyes moving all around. She kept checking her surroundings. She needed to stay sharp as she moved forward. Something was very wrong and the urge to leave this place was nearly overwhelming her. She strained her ears, trying to hear anything , but the sound of her own breathing echoed back, muffling her hearing.

Once she was at the door, Rey stopped dead in her tracks. There was a long red smear on the bottom corner of the metal. It looked shiny in the low flickering light. Rey’s breathing automatically increased as she started to realize what the red substance was.

_Blood._

There was a bloody hand smear on the door.

She gently pushed the door open, only to have her hands fly to her mouth to keep the scream inside her. Her eyes were not really making sense of the carnage in front of her. Her mind could barely take it all in. The floor was covered in broken bloody bodies. There were severed limbs and dark pools of blood everywhere.

She glanced around seeing blood splashed up onto the wall next to her. She looked down to see the person nearest to her, he looked like he could have been the sheriff, but she could only gauge that by the uniform the man was wearing, though it was turning black now due to the blood still seeping from the claw marks that covered his face and throat.

She frantically looked around, hoping she would not find Poe’s familiar face among the dead scattered on the floor. None seemed to have his careless mop of black curls, but some bodies looked as though their heads had been crushed, leaving no identifiable face at all.

Rey staggered as she moved away from the worst of the gore pooling on the tile floor. She turned around too fast and fell to her knees, heaving up the meager contents of her stomach. She stayed there till the last of the tremors eased off. She needed to get out of there. Whatever did this, she didn't want to be around when it came back. She pulled herself up using the side of a desk, only to come face to face with the dead guard slumped over it. His eyes were open in a glassy and vacant stare.

Shock was starting to overtake her. She could no longer hear her own breathing, just a high-pitched whine that seemed to be her own voice straining in the back of her throat. She needed to get out of that building, out of the village, and as far away as she could get by the next sunrise.

She turned quickly, looking for the way out. The door at the end of the room looked like it had been ripped off its hinges and thrown aside. She glanced back at the dead guard and then made her way around the room, trying to not step on anyone or what was left of someone.

Rey nearly ran out the doorway, stumbling on the broken frame and nearly collapsing in the street. The gruesome nightmare in the jailhouse was behind her, but still vivid in her mind. She didn’t know if she would ever be able to get the sight of those dead glassy eyes out of her head. She breathed in deep draughts of air, finally realizing the raw meaty smell that had been prevalent in the air was not as strong outside.

On all fours, Rey looked around, trying to gauge where the townsfolk were. The street looked deserted. Surely that slaughter had drawn attention, she thought. Where was everyone? There were no lights in the windows, no signs of any living inhabitants. Somehow Rey’s panic spiked higher still. The town looked empty to her. Not a living soul in sight.

She needed to move, _fast._ She needed to get away from here.

She pulled herself up onto her feet and started moving back to Plutt’s house, to where she had her bike parked. If she could reach her bike she knew she would be able to get to safety.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting near the end of my Renaissance festival season, just two more weekends to go! Then things will get somewhat back to normal around my life...*snicker-snort* yeah, who am I kidding? Nothing is ever _normal_ around here.
> 
> THAT trailer!!! I have my own theories about misdirection and editing for that, but Holy Hell if that wasn't awesome!!! Funny thing is while the teaser gave me a one-shot idea (that I have still yet to write out) the trailer didn't inspire anything new or fun with me...could be that I have so much crammed in my head right now that isn't room for more, but oh well. I'm just DYING for the movie!!
> 
> [Pandora_Spocks](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandora_Spocks/pseuds/Pandora_Spocks) gave this a quick once over, but I did add in a few bits here and there afterward. Thanks, darlin'!!


	6. Cold Hands, Dead Heart

After walking down a few streets, Rey began to see the town was empty. There was evidence of widespread fighting, broken doors and smashed windows among most of the buildings. No lights were on, so the town’s generators must be down as well.

She stopped at that thought. If the generators were down, then the shields were down. _Anything_ could get through now. She swallowed hard, fear prickling her skin as she started moving again, this time in a soft jog. Rey didn't want to make any noise as she hurried back to Plutt’s.

She took the next alleyway, wanting to stay clear of the main road and all the windows facing it. She noticed a fog had begun to roll in. She thought she heard some kind of grunts and odd-sounding growls. She kept her back to the bricks as she peeked around the corner. There, at the end of the lane, she could still see a pair of carrion-eaters hunched over something.

The carrion-eaters were some strange cross between a ghoul and a zombie. They looked like walking corpses, all dried-up skin, and sinewy muscles, but they moved like feral dogs down on all fours in a hunched-over run. Rey didn't want to draw their attention away from their meal, but she needed to get past them.

Plutt’s was just one block over. She decided to veer wide around them and retreated back down the alley. As long as she made it out, it wouldn't matter how long it took, she told herself, as she squeezed back out from between the two houses. The fog swirled around her feet as she moved, keeping one eye on her surroundings and the other on the cobblestones. The last thing she needed was to trip over something and alert those creatures of her presence.

It wasn't until two more roads down that she heard the first howl. She forced herself not to freeze and to keep moving. It didn't necessarily mean it was a werewolf, but when she heard a chorus of howls in response, she started running. The pale fog moved in little whirlwinds as she ran down the narrow lanes, the not so distant sounds of yips and snarls spurring her on faster.

Rey skidded to a stop, panting hard in front of Plutt’s. There were signs of a struggle all around. The front door was hanging ajar. The glass of the windows sparkled on the ground, but the interior was black. Dark pools of blood dotted the flagstones in front of the house. Rey looked around for her bike, only to see the unmoving shape she knew to be Plutt, or what was left of him, surrounded by carrion-eaters as well as true zombies. She was startled to realize the zombies had once been Plutt’s own servants.

They had people she had worked alongside, lived with, starved with, and now...she gasped, momentarily unable to do anything else.

She watched as many pairs of lifeless dead eyes looked at her, all faded in color, but restless and hungry just the same. The carrion-eaters moved first, faster than their shambling cousins, but Rey didn't wait to see who would get to her first.

She was already running away from the small horde. She darted past the house and into the scrap yard. Maybe she could make it to the wall. If she could climb over it, then those walking corpses would be stuck on the other side without a gate or opening to get through.

As she ran out into the yard, the creeping fog started to thicken densely around her. She could no longer see in front of herself, and she gave a startled yelp as she ran full-tilt into something solid and covered in fur.

Falling backward onto her rear, Rey looked up to see yellow eyes staring down at her. Yellow eyes and a large muzzle full of long sharp teeth! The werewolf looked down at her, and Rey would have sworn it was grinning at her. Its massive head leaned down to sniff her, and she skittered backward on her hands and feet trying to get away from the monstrous thing.

Rey stood up quickly, looking around only to see she was trapped. Lesser demons, ghouls, zombies, and all manner of minions of the dark that she had no names for were all around her. She was caught in a circle of Hell itself.

The creatures parted, allowing six wraith-like sentinels to pass inside. Rey’s breath, heart, and mind froze as her eyes landed on the man they were escorting. He was striking, with pale skin that seemed to glow in the ambient light from the fog. The width of his shoulders and the sheer size of him made her mind stumble in a mix of fear and excitement. Her heart kicked into overdrive as she realized just who was standing in front of her.

She felt herself trembling uncontrollably as he reached out a large gloved hand toward her, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Rey stared at him, unable to decipher her own tangled emotions at his presence.

He smiled, close-lipped but amused by something. Rey’s heart fluttered oddly when she realized he found _her_ amusing. She started to back up when his hand suddenly gripped her wrist. Her fear spiked.

She hadn't seen him so much as twitch! 

She looked down at where his fingers encircled her, then back up to his dark eyes. He no longer looked amused. Instead, his face was blank, empty as only the dead could be, but his eyes weren't lifeless. No, not at all. Rey could see they burned with some inner light - a light that frightened her more than anything else she'd seen that night.

He started to reel her to him, pulling her gently by the arm. Rey tried to jerk her wrist free, twisting to apply the most amount of force on the junction of his thumb and fingers. The trick should have worked, but his hand felt like iron around her. She didn't even see him strain as she flung her weight back, pulling away from him.

His movement remained calm, but he lifted his free hand. Rey flinched when he touched her cheek. She clamped her eyes shut, turning her head away.

“Why do you struggle so? I've come to free you. I vowed I would keep you safe.”

His voice was calming, soft even. Rey felt her resistance fade a little as he caressed her cheek. He tilted her face back towards him. Rey felt compelled to look at him again.

His eyes were still burning, a darkly smoldering light that pulled her in. It was the only thing that mattered now, and it was the last thing she saw before her world went black.

 

~

 

Finally...

He finally had her back in his arms. Kylo cradled her small form close, savoring how warm and _alive_ she felt.

He regretted the necessity of rendering her unconscious, but she had seemed so overwrought. Her incarceration and subsequent rescue must have taken a toll on her. She would need time to rest and recover. He had the arrangements ready. The tower would be a welcoming retreat for them both.

There he could savor her, entice her, woo her. He would show her how much he wanted her, how deeply he ached to have her near him. Just holding her was akin to some precious agony, setting something ablaze deep inside him that he didn't understand but was loath to extinguish.

In the first few breaths in which she had looked at him, the unguarded attraction had been crystal clear on her face. At that moment he had seen she was just as drawn to him as he was to her. In those few seconds, he felt his actions were validated. He knew no matter how much she might try and resist she was already his.

His carriage swiftly maneuvered through the bleak landscape, and he still held her close, cradling her against his chest. He let his fingers comb out the tangles in her chestnut tresses, gently undoing the crude knots she kept it in.

_Rey._

His brilliant ray of light. He thought she was the most radiant creature he had ever laid eyes on. He trailed his fingers down over her cheek, softly exploring as he had done before, but with much more reverence.

He had learned her name from that odious pig of a man, that disgustingly vile thing that dared to claim guardianship over her. Kylo had taken immense satisfaction in ripping the man’s throat out. There had been a sickening feel to Plutt’s mind and his emotions surrounding the girl. It wasn't hard to see that even though Plutt had been her legal guardian, he had not cared for her. Had not provided anything past bare amenities, and even those had been under duress. He had thought of her as a burden that was only just starting to ripen. Kylo shuddered at that thought.

That had been where he’d let go of his pretense of civility and had ended the man’s existence. That had been the final straw that sent him into a rage. The townsfolk had paid the brunt of his denizens’ hunger, but Plutt’s home had been solely his destruction.

But now as he laid her out on the bed, Kylo could not even feel a twinge of regret. She deserved so much more than the bare scraps the world had given her. He could see how thin she truly was as he pulled her outer layers off, how her suffering and hunger had been etched into her body. His fingers ghosted over her ribs, counting as he moved the tattered cloth away from her belt.

He laid everything on the side of the bed, leaving it in plain sight. He did not wish her to think him a thief. He watched her heartbeat, steady and strong, watched as the vein in her neck jumped with each pump of her heart. His eyes lingered there for a long time.

He longed to taste her, to hold her lifeblood in his mouth and savor it, just as he longed to savor her body holding him tight.

Soon, he told himself, soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halloween Update!!
> 
> I know this one is a little early than my normal Thursday, but it's Halloween, so :D. Besides I needed the distraction, trust me on this one. Next one is still due on the 16th.
> 
> ~Blessed Samhain~


	7. Sympathy For The Devil

Consciousness was slow to come to her. She felt it slip into hazy images and vivid sensations that blended with her thoughts on the day ahead, only to come back to her physical awareness, not recognizing anything around her. Rey struggled to recall what had happened or even where she was. 

The material under her fingers was foreign to her. It was so soft; she had no idea as to what it could be. It was most definitely not her rough spun blanket or even her bunk in the maintenance shed out behind Plutt’s house. 

She blinked repeatedly, trying to force her eyes to focus, but the world around her was dark and somewhat hazy. Sitting up, she found herself enclosed in a black gauze draped canopy bed. Though sheer, the curtains reduced the light coming from the many arched windows.

Rey swiftly moved off the bed, heading to the nearest window. Far, far below her were the wastelands, stretching out past the horizon. The sky was nothing but pale gray clouds, blotting out the sun and obscuring the time of day. She looked down and had to swallow back her immediate and irrational fear. It looked like the ground was a mile away. She had never been  _ this _ high up before! 

A wave of vertigo made her step back from the windowsill and its intimidating view.

Rey finally looked around, taking in her surroundings. The room was roundish, possibly octagon shaped, with a high vaulted ceiling of black stones. Alcoves lined the walls and branched off, giving the feel and illusion of smaller side rooms. Bookshelves filled many of the spaces, tucked away with stuffed reading chairs and end tables topped with small vases holding three white roses apiece. 

In one corner was a table laden with fruits, cheeses, and cold cuts of meat. Silverware, decanters, and glasses sparkled in the light, as did the candlesticks that formed the centerpiece. Rey’s mouth watered and her stomach gave a loud gurgle. Not remembering when she had last eaten, she cautiously stepped over the table. There were two chairs at the table that only emphasized the secluded setting.

She quickly reached out and stuffed a few pieces of beef in her mouth, sucking her fingers clean. Not letting herself think about it too much, Rey ate her fill. She didn’t want to acknowledge where she was or just  _ who  _ had set this bounty out for her. At least not yet, she thought. She’d have to deal with that soon enough anyway. 

Once the rumbling of her stomach had subsided, still nibbling on a small piece of cheese, she turned to inspect the rest of the room. 

In the middle of what she thought of as the living space was a large black stuffed couch which matched the various chairs about the room. At the front was a long low table on which a few golden candlesticks complemented a tall vase full of white roses. 

As Rey drew near the table, she noticed a book. It had worn black leather binding and was fraying around the edges. There was no lettering on the cover or spine, nothing to indicate the story inside. Rey opened it out of sheer curiosity. The pages were yellow and covered in a delicate flowing script, arching slightly to the right.  _ Oh, this isn't a book, _ she thought,  _ it's someone's diary.  _ She quickly closed it, not wanting to trespass on someone else's personal thoughts. 

Rey looked around again, unsure of what to do. She felt restless, her eyes darting around the room. There was only one area she couldn’t see well since there was a large wrought iron screen marking off a section to the left of the bed. As she approached, she noticed there was a blackwood wardrobe matching the bed frame on the outer wall.

The screen held little glass votive holders, seamlessly worked into the arches and curves. Rey caught a glimpse of scarlet out the corner of her eye as she walked around the room divider. Each glass had a red votive candle inside. It was the first true color she had seen since she woke up in this strange Gothic cage.

Behind the divider, Rey found an ornate black marble bathtub set on golden claw feet. As she looked it over, water began to pour from the spout. She stared, unsure of what to do when the water in the tub neared the top, and steam rose from the surface.  _ How?  _ She wondered as she stood with her mouth agape.

Her eyes darted around the room, but she could not see anyone.

For a long while she stood, staring and debating. It was too obvious where she was and who had brought her here - but was _ he _ here? Was he watching her?

She glanced out the windows, seeing the sky was still steely gray and overcast, but pale. It must still be daytime. That meant the nobleman would be asleep, she hoped. Rey debated more, thinking about to how long it had been since she’d last had a hot bath. She walked over, dipping her fingers just underneath the surface. There was the initial bite of the hot temperature, but then it felt perfect. She chewed on her bottom lip, casting one more quick look at the pale clouds covering the sky. 

She finally gave in and stripped off her dirty clothes, piling them on the bottom shelf of the wheeled cart that stood next to the tub. She tugged the cart closer to the edge of the tub, noticing the numerous bottles and jars on it. One of them must be soap, she thought. 

Rey let out a sigh of relief as she swung her legs over the lip of the tub, blissfully letting herself sink down into the soothing hot water. Reaching over the side, she selected a bottle at random. It was tall and had a creamy pink hue. Having no clue as to what it was, she took a tentative sniff. Her nose meet with an overpowering scent of sugary sweetness, and she quickly corked the bottle. The next one was a pale yellow and had the scent of freshly crushed herbs, green and slightly astringent. While the smell was pleasant, the liquid had an oily texture, causing Rey to set it back down. 

The next one she selected was a deep red, and the smell of apples filled her senses. She dipped her fingers in it and was delighted to find it was indeed soap. She set about lathering her arms and neck. She grabbed a washrag from the neatly folded pile and scrubbed until her skin was pink from her efforts. She attacked her hair next, lathering and rinsing, then watching as strands of it floated in the soapy water. 

She leaned her head back and allowed herself to relax, feeling clean and warm, enjoying a feeling so removed from her life she had forgotten it. Her eyes drifted shut as she breathed a long sigh of contentment. 

  
  


~

  
  


He stood in the shadows, watching. 

His hands opened and closed at his sides as he willed himself to stay hidden. Kylo had seen her looking the sky; he knew she was trying to see what time of day it was. Ignorant with her silly superstitions, believing that he was held captive in sleep by the daylight, no doubt. More of the villager’s stupidity about his kind that she had grown up hearing. Well, there really was no need to rectify her misconceptions right now, not when it afforded him such an unguarded view of her.

He was pleased that she hadn’t hesitated to eat, though he was certain she hadn’t eaten nearly enough. However, he thought it might take time for her to become accustomed to having food readily available. Watching her luxuriate in the bathwater was causing him to use an exorbitant amount of willpower to remain undetected in the shadows.

Oh, how he longed to let his fingers graze over her shoulders, feeling her supple skin and taut muscles give under the pressure of his hands. He ached to be the cause of her quiet moans and how she made him  _ hunger _ . Kylo knew he would need to slake his thirst before he allowed himself to be seen by her tonight. 

But first, he gently descended into her mind, helping her relaxed state carry her into unconsciousness. 

Stepping out from his shadowy corner, Kylo strode about the room, making it more comfortable for her, showing her more of what he had to offer her.

  
  
  


~

  
  


When Rey’s eyes fluttered open, she beheld the golden twinkling glow of dozens of lit candles. She was mildly disoriented and noticed the bathwater had cooled considerably, but the candles warmed the air in the room.  _ I must have fallen asleep _ , she thought, as she looked around again. She quickly looked at the windows to find the sky was a darkening purple, filled with twinkling lights as the stars started to appear.  

Her eyes darted around the room, and her pulse was in her throat. 

Nightfall had come, and she wasn’t prepared in the slightest. For what, she had no idea, but being caught naked in a tub of tepid water was most definitely not what she had in mind. 

She rose from the water, reaching for the thick towel next to her pile of clothes, quickly wrapping herself up in it. Her eyes were drawn to the light of the votives behind the screen. Their golden flickering flames seemed almost cheerful to her. She looked out beyond the screen to see all the pillar candles and tapers in their candlesticks were all lit as well, creating pools of light and casting deep shadows in the corners and arches. 

It was inviting; she would even go so far as to say  _ romantic _ if it hadn't been outright abduction that had brought her here. Rey reached for her clothes but paused and wrinkled her nose once she could smell just how sweat soaked and dirty they were. Rey grimaced at the idea of putting them back on her clean body.

She glanced around again, her eyes landing on the blackwood wardrobe. So far, everything here had been at her disposal. Why would the contents of the wardrobe be any different, she reasoned. She just hoped there would be something that fit her or that she could make do.

Barefoot, Rey padded over to the large wardrobe, keeping the towel clasped tightly around herself. She tugged open the cabinet and stared at the numerous gowns hanging inside. Lace, satin, silk - some gowns she couldn't even identify the material. There were all in shades of pale creams and soft white. One gown had small red flowers sewn along the hem and scattered about the skirt. Another had thin red ribbons worked into the top and waist ending with little bows at the scoop neckline.

The small decorative bit of scarlet trim made Rey think of freshly spilled blood. 

The thought reminded her where she was and just who had brought her here. Remembering just who had provided this room, this splendor, and luxury. Of  _ course _ it was meant to look like blood. A  _ nobleman _ would love that. 

Annoyed at herself for forgetting she was most likely here to just become his dinner, Rey pushed the dresses that had red touches to the side, finding a gown that looked simple and easy to put on. It had heavy lace draping off the V neckline and down over her shoulders, stopping just above her elbows. There was a wide satin ribbon that tied in the back, making the gown hug her ribs. The skirt hung off her hips and flared out as it reached the floor, just barely hiding her toes. 

It wasn't very practical, but it was better than wrapping herself in nothing but a towel, she thought.

As she picked up the towel, intent on hanging it over the bar on the wheeled cart, she sensed a dark shape moving into the periphery of her vision.

She turned to see the nobleman was now standing in the center of the room.

“Good evening, Rey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even though I had this entire chapter plotted out, it fought me tooth and nail right up to the very due date to get written. But it's done now and we can move on the fun stuff!
> 
> And hugs to [Pandora_Spocks](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandora_Spocks/pseuds/Pandora_Spocks) for taking a chunk of her night to proof this one for me. She's been nothing short of wonderful to me and taking time to help me out and listen when needed.


	8. The Tower

“Good evening, Rey,”

Rey felt her breath freeze in her lungs. For a few frantic heartbeats, she just stared at him.

A nobleman. A _vampire._

When he did nothing but calmly return her gaze, Rey let out a shaky breath. She realized she was gripping the towel so tightly her knuckles were white. Looking down, she smoothed the wrinkles out of it as she hung it over the bar of the carts. She tried to get control of her racing pulse, knowing the vampire could surely hear it, but when she glanced back up, it only sped up in tempo.

He was just as striking as before: tall and imposing with broad shoulders and long legs. Rey let her eyes sweep over him, from his ebony hair and sickly alabaster complexion down to his elegant evening attire, a stiff-looking waistcoat of black diamond-patterned leather and two rows of little golden buttons that glinted in the candlelight. The waistcoat collar had wide lapels that encased the small cravat of his black silk poet shirt.

As her eyes moved down his body only to start their journey in reverse, Rey realized she was ogling him. She ducked her head, trying to hide the flush she felt burning her cheeks. When she glanced back up at him, she caught a quick flash of teeth as he grinned, obviously amused by her reactions.

“I see you are finding things to your liking,” he paused, and she watched his eyes slide over her before he continued. “Do you like my gifts? Does the gown please you?” His voice was surprisingly soft; the low timbre seemed to caress her mind, seeking to soothe her nerves and calm her.

“Why am I here?” Rey asked, finally able to find her voice. She watched as he smiled wide enough to show his fangs.

“You're my guest.”

Rey could hear the restrained mirth in his voice, and that goaded her into snapping at him.

“Well, then as your _guest,_  I would like to go hom-” The word stuck in her throat as she was now looking at him from mere inches away. He had moved faster than she could see and was holding his finger against her lips.

“Shhh,” he silenced her and brought his other hand up, gently running his fingers down her cheek. Rey was transfixed as he caressed her face, moving her hair behind her ear and trailing his fingers down her neck. She shivered when he traced the jumping vein on the side of her throat, and she struggled to keep her eyes open and focused on his dark ones. “Shhh,” he said again softly, “Don’t say things like that. There is nothing for you there.” He looked at her as he gently stroked her cheek again.

Tears pricked her eyes at the sound of his voice and the feel of him being so near. It was because of _him_ she had no reason to return home. Rey glared at him, letting her anger and resentment shine in her eyes as she tried hard not to blink; she didn’t want to cry in front of this monster.

She watched his expression soften when the first treacherous tear spilled over and trailed down her cheek. He removed his finger from her lips and wiped the wetness off her face.

“You’re the reason I cannot go back. You’ve stolen my home from me.” Rey managed to keep her voice steady and didn’t let her glare waver.

He paused, visibly taken aback and brought up short by her statement. She watched the anger rise in him, slowly stealing away that deathly stillness, that false calm he maintained, finally seeing it for the facade that it was. He gripped her upper arms, squinting down at her.

“I was protecting you,” the vampire said very quietly, “You have no idea what that pig intended for you after that tribunal had stripped you down. You should be thanking me,” he nearly hissed at her.

Rey continued to stare daggers at him, not giving in to the urge to wince as his grip on her arms tightened.

“Thank you? _Thank you?_  For killing my friends? For slaughtering my village? For locking me in a tower in the middle of the wastes? I should be thanking you for this?!” Her voice rose with each word until she was nearly shrieking at him, tears running freely down her face from her seething rage and guilt. Finn and Poe’s smiling faces burned just behind her eyes. She’d gotten them killed by having this monster follow her back to town. She’d gotten everyone killed for nothing.

“I didn’t kill your _friends!_ They were not even in the village when my army took it!” he said through clenched teeth, and Rey watched as his eyes flashed red. She felt the pull of them again, but she resisted.

“What? How would you know that?”

“I can only assume you mean the two men from your dream in the jailhouse?”

She quickly nodded, eager to hear that somehow her friends were alive.

“Before I tore that vermin’s throat out, he told me he’d sent some of your compatriots out to search for you after they had come looking the day before. He boasted that he’d sent them off in the wrong direction, opposite of the way he’d sent you.”

Rey gasped, “Really?” There was a good chance that Finn and Poe were alive, but, “Why should I believe you?” she asked, eyeing him, trying to figure out how telling her this bit of information benefited him.

He let out an exasperated huff, “Rey, I have never lied to you. I don’t intend to start now.” She watched as he regained his composure.

“Oh,” she blinked, rapidly, trying to clear her eyes. “You mean, they are -”

“Yessss.” He did hiss this time, cutting off her words.

“Then they might...” _Oh no,_ what if they came looking for her? “Please don’t hurt them!” she begged.

He blinked at her and removed his hands from her arms, taking a step back. “Please, if...if they come looking for me, please don’t kill my friends. They mean so much to me.” She stepped back into his space, grasping at his vest collar, pleading.

“Why should I not?” he asked, deathly still, his voice barely carrying past his lips. Rey felt fresh tears well as she looked at his cold, stony expression.

“Please - they are the closest thing I have to a family now.” A soft sob left her. “I don’t have anyone else,” she confessed, feeling her desperation and despair at the age-old wound rise. She lowered her head to his chest and let herself give in to the hurt.

“Not anymore. You have me now.” She felt his arms encircle her and hold her close against him. Rey turned her head and closed her eyes, letting herself be held and comforted. She was startled but too emotionally drained to care that this comfort was coming from one of the undead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who else got tickets lined up and ready to go for the 15th?  
> I do!!  
> A little excited, to say the least. I've even got a small group of friends that are tossing around the idea of getting all dressing up as Sith just for the hell of it. Trying to not be on pins and needles, but yeah, right. Who am I kidding?
> 
> Oh, and fear not, the conversation will continue. :D
> 
> Annnnd I started a tumblr...gods know why, but I'll give it a try for a while at least. Right now it's mostly Reylo fanart that I have found, love and want to share. I doubt I'll add any content worth a damn, but I'll try and post updates and story info too. [BelovedUnderwing](https://belovedunderwing.tumblr.com/)


	9. What Hath The Night To Do With Sleep?

Rey wept softly for a time, no longer thinking about the arms that held her. It had been so long since she had been held, she only had vague recollections from her childhood, but those memories were dim and faded. She knew these arms were nothing like those in her memory. The nobleman was nothing like the humble background of her bloodline. This nobleman was different from the ones she was told about, different from all the ones she had read about. He seemed like he was concerned about her. That he really did care.

But at what cost? Surely he wanted something from her, if not her blood, then what? Rey tensed as her mind pulled free from the fog of her emotions and wandering thoughts.

Vampire.

How had he known she dreamed about Finn and Poe?

_Vampire._

His arms were still around her, but now she could feel how cold they were, there was no warmth to be found in his embrace.

_Vampire!_

Her body started trembling as her mind screamed at her to run, to get away from the undead man that was holding onto her.

“Shhhh. Please, calm down, Rey. I could never hurt you. You're too precious to me,” she heard him say, while he stroked cold hands down her back and over her arms.

“How-” her voice cracked and she swallowed, “Why would you say that? You and I don't know each other,” she stilled as much as she could, part of her fearful of his answer.

There was a long pause as his hands ceased their petting, but he didn’t release her. “There is...a connection between us. I feel...alive when I’m near you. It’s rather difficult to put into words,” he said quietly and resumed his petting, gently carding his hand through her hair.

Rey leaned back, looking up to see his face, to see his eyes were softly glowing a warm amber, but the rest of him was dead, pale and cold. She couldn’t help but see his strange cold beauty, like a snow-covered forest at night, stark and pristine, but the landscape would take the living warmth from the body if one stayed out in it for too long. Deadly and beautiful.

Closing her eyes and tilting her head slightly, trying to get her thoughts in order, she took another step back, thankful when she felt his hands part and he let her step away from him.

“I - I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t know you. I only know what you’ve done and that isn’t good or kind or any of the things you think you are trying to be to me,” her voice shook with effort, she was desperately trying to not freeze in panic as he stared at her retreat from him.

She watched his eyes map her face, watched as he pulled his arms away from her and how his hands opened and closed at his sides. He seemed like he was holding himself back, but he was curved over her, his spine bowed just enough that he was hovering above her.

“Then let me. Let me show you who I am,” he held out his hand, bowing slightly at the waist, “Please join me at the table. We can sit and talk.”

“Just sit?” she wanted to see if there was anything behind his change in demeanor.

“And talk with me. I value your thoughts.”

Rey hesitated but finally placed her hand on his, feeling his cold fingers gently wrap around hers. He led her to the table, now filled with covered dishes and plates.

He helped her sit and Rey marveled over the selections on the table as he moved to the opposite chair. “Please eat whatever you like,” he said sitting down, waving his hand, indicating the entirety of the food laid out, “This is all for your pleasure.”

“But - what about you?” the question left her mouth before she even thought about it. She felt her face redden as he looked at her in surprise before a smile moved his lips. He held up a crystal goblet filled with a deep red liquid.

“Oh,” she looked away unsure of how she felt about seeing a cup full of _blood_. She lifted the first covered dish as a distraction, finding some small roasted bird on the plate. “Um, who cooked this if you don’t…” she let the sentence trail off, not sure if she really wanted to know or not.

“Eat?” He finished for her, a smile present, “Not all of my people have the same, let’s say, dietary restrictions,”

Rey looked back at the bounty before her, thinking of the horde of creatures and demons, trying to imagine one or two of their number, preparing this meal. The image was so ludicrous she snorted softly with a small smile. There were greens, potatoes, all manner of fruits, some things she had never seen before, but smelled tantalizing nonetheless. 

“I did instruct the staff to prepare things suitable for you to eat. Some of their tastes can run a bit wild and undercooked,” She glanced up to see him watching her intently as she picked up the fork and knife. Rey felt herself blush again and focused on her plate as she set about cutting in the pheasant.

After a few bites, an uncomfortable silence and a sip of her water, Rey looked back up to see Kylo was still watching her, but the contents of his goblet had gone down some.

“So, is that…” she realized she didn’t have the courage to ask him to confirm her suspicions, which was childish of her, she reasoned, what else can he possibly be drinking?

He was silent for a moment, then two.

“Yes, it is,” his eyes never leaving hers. Rey took that as a challenge for her petty question.

“Was it anyone from my village?”

It was his turn to snort softly. “Ah, no. I have a cellar that is stocked from before the last great war, well over 80 years ago. This is an older vintage than your village,” he said taking another small sip.

“Oh, then why did you raid it? My village, I mean.” If he hadn’t needed the blood, then why did he kill everyone, Rey wondered.

His eyes flashed, a quick pulse of red before he set the goblet down. “I culled that village to rescue you. The things that council and leaders had planned. You think me barbaric for my ways? Well, I deemed their lives forfeit for how barbaric their ways were!” He was breathing heavily, visibly angry over the subject.

“But the entire village? Everyone?” Rey was shocked he would condemn _everyone_ for what he felt were the faults of the council and elders.

She watched as he took a deep breath, either looking for the right words to say or to calm himself, she wasn’t sure, but then his face reverted back to his stoic cold mask. As if the topic was pointless to him, he proceeded to take a long drink. Now that they were all dead, maybe it was pointless in his eyes, but Rey pressed on. She watched for him to answer and finally he looked back at her after taking the time to drain the last of the crimson liquid from the goblet. 

Rey barely repressed her shudder and she watched his eyes narrow again.

“As to why the whole village - pragmatism. I have not ruled this long without learning when it is best to quell a rebellion. If I had left the rabble alive, one of two of them would have roused the rest to seek revenge and I would have been forced to kill them all later. This way I do not have to deal with a torch and pitchfork wielding mob showing up on my doorstep.”

His voice was flat and cold and Rey could hear the weight to countless years behind it.

“But what do you rule if there are none alive for you to Lord over?”

The vampire raised an eyebrow at her and gave her a lopsided smirk. “There will alway be more humans, my dear. Your species is quite tenacious when it comes to population. The village location will attract settlers. In another 50 years or so the place will be a full as it was, if not more so.” 

Rey felt disgusted, letting it color her words, “You speak of people as if they were cattle.”

He smiled and it was a truly disturbing thing to see. “And how would cattle speak of a wolf? Or about humans themselves, with their butchers and slaughterhouses?”

She found her train of thought stopped and looked down at her own plate with the body of a half-eaten pheasant in front of her. Rey swallowed and tried to calm her rolling stomach. “I -” she pushed her plate away.

“Oh, Rey. It’s alright. These are not the best topics for a dinner discussion. Besides, I wish to learn of you and you of me. Not discuss why we dine as we do,”

Rey reached for her water, wanting to wash the taste of meat from her mouth.

“Try some of the fruit. At least you know nothing was disturbed in its procurement,” he smiled again, but this time it was gentle and she thought he was trying to make a joke as he motioned to the baskets and plates of artfully arranged colors and shapes.

“Where was all this grown?” she asked in amazement. Nothing grew out here in the wasteland.

“Here on the grounds. We have extensive greenhouses and gardens,” he said nonchalantly.

Rey’s eyes lit up, how had she not guessed? “With that shield - the filtered rain! Oh, how ingenious. The grounds here are the lushest green I’ve ever seen!”

“Is that what drew you here in the first place?” he leaned forward, resting his lips against his clasped hands, keeping his intense dark gaze on her.

“No, I was stuck out in a storm. I was trying to make it to the cliffs, hoping to find a cave or something, but then I saw the citadel still standing, thinking the shields must still be intact. That’s why I came inside. I didn’t know anyone was here - it looked abandoned,” she said quietly, picking up a slice of apple, admiring it before taking a small bite.

“I was looking for the shield’s maintenance room. I thought if I could find the schematics or some diagrams, I could recreate the filtration aspect of the shield, and apply it to the village’s,” Rey felt the excitement again, but it was quickly tempered with the knowledge there was no one left in the village to benefit from the tech now.

“Astonishing. Simply astonishing. For all the hardships, evils and hurt you’ve endured, you still want to better the lives of those that would have not done so for you,” the awe and reverence in his tone made Rey squirm in her seat and she refused to look at him.

“The way you say it - it sounds like I would not have benefited at all. I would have been able to leave Plutt’s - gotten a place of my own or maybe even been given a place on the engineering council.  I would have improved my life and helped everyone else too.” She stammered and she knew she was blushing again. The unguarded look of adoration on his face wasn’t helping when she tried to sneak a glance.

“Would you like to see the schematics?” She looked up at him quickly, nodding and nearly jumping out of her chair. He chuckled as he stood, coming around to usher her over to one of the many bookcases lining the outer walls.

Rey watched his board back and wide shoulders as he turned and pulled a long black book from a shelf.

“This section has the plans and blueprints from when the citadel was commissioned,” he said, laying the book out on the end table nearest them. Rey watched as he ran his fingers lovingly over the sigil engraved on the front of the black leather. It was the Imperial crest and Rey kicked herself for being surprised about it. He was a nobleman after all, of course, this citadel was _that_ old.

He reached up and slide the candleholder closer after he opened the long book.

“You see, here?” he pointed to another six-pointed emblem and just under it, in a bold slashing hand, was a name that made Rey gasp.

“My grandfather commissioned this citadel as a palace for his beloved wife,”

Rey blinked, her mind not wanting to make the connection, but if what he was saying was true...

“Your grandfather was...Darth Vader?!” she stared at him, hard, watching a faint smile tug at his lips.

“Yes,” he said with no small amount of pride. “See, here, “ he picked up her hand, using her finger as a pointer, to trace over the signatures of both Vader and Queen Amidala when he turned to the next page.

Rey gasp, but no longer from the shocking revelation, but from the warmth that his hand now had. Kylo’s hand now felt warm and alive as his fingers wrapped around hers, nothing like how he’d felt earlier.

She stared at their hands, confused. “But - how?” she looked back up at his face and he looked alive, so much like his portrait, she had glimpsed. Skin flushed and the deathly pallor had fled making his lips look plump and inviting. Only his eyes remained the same, softly glowing with their own inner light.

Without thinking she raised her free hand, reaching to touch his cheek, mesmerized by the change in his appearance. Rey saw his eyes flash red and she retracted her hand before she touched him, sure his skin would have been hot under her fingertips. Before she could blink, her hand was pressed against his cheek, being held in place by his own hand.

She watched as he nuzzled his lips against her palm and Rey froze as he planted small soft kisses there, slowly trailing down to her wrist. He pressed a harder kiss just over her pulse point and his eyes flew open at her slight intake of breath, so startled by the sensation of his lips on such a vulnerable part of her.

The pull of his eyes was heady and warm, nothing like what she’d felt from him before, this was soft and gentle, but no less compelling. She didn’t react as he stepped into her space and started to turn them, moving into the fast steps of a dance, backing her out into the open floor. Only the soft rustle of her gown over the floor was there, but Rey swore she could hear a piano in her mind, something slow and haunting, a melody seemed to float around them.

Rey followed his lead as he slowly swept her around the room, candlelight flickering gently while he guided her with his hands and delicately with his mind. Rey could feel him, laying out each step in her head as he moved them around the room. She found she couldn’t look away from his delighted face. His amber eyes still pulled her in, his gaze was so intense she felt it hard to even blink. Her wrist tingled where his lips had been and she was able to drift her eyes down to look at those plush lips, thinking they were in a slight pout, begging to be back on her skin.

She looked back up to see he was also staring at her lips, and she could feel his gaze lower, down to caress her throat. That thought sent a shiver through her, causing him to draw her in closer to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early Post!! 
> 
> I posted this early for a few reasons; 1.) I finished it early. 2.) I understand all of us are on pins and needles right now and I wanted to get this out there before we all become too focused to care about anything else. 3.) It was scheduled to go out this Thursday...well I may be a bit too preoccupied to handle that on Thursday as I'm going to drop off the net to hopefully avoid giant spoilers. I'm all for those that want every little tidbit they can lay their eyes on and those who wanna hide under a rock till they see it first hand. Yay for both. I'm somewhere in between, little things I don't mind, but I really don't want the plot or *gasp* plot twists (snicker-snort) ruined. 
> 
> As for what is progressing in the story, I'm at a crossroad. I have a few directions I can take this and haven't made up my mind on which.


	10. Water, Water Everywhere But Not A Drop To Drink

He could not believe it.

She was there, really there with him, in his arms, gazing up at him as he swayed her around the room. His senses were on fire with the push and pull of air in her lungs, the  _ thud, thud _ of her heart, so like a drum frantically beating inside his head. 

He felt like he was drowning in her eyes, those beautiful unblinking hazel jewels that held him so captivated. There was nothing more he wanted in that moment than to kiss her and to feel her beneath his lips again. 

Slowly he brought his hand up, caressing her flushed cheek, adoring the pink tint to her skin. Slipping his fingers into her hair, Kylo cradled the back of her head, lightly holding her in place as he brought their dance to an end.

“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever beheld,” he whispered, watching as her eyes dilated, just a bit. He kept watching as he lowered his head, everything in him focused on the moment their lips touched. 

Her mouth felt like silken heat, soft, hot, and malleable. 

He just barely caught her fleeting thoughts as they ran rampant in her head;  _ this was her first kiss. _ Kylo tried to stifle his groan, greedy and possessive as his nature, but knowing he would be the first to taste her, the first to sup from these lips, made him crave her all the more.

He pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her waist and drawing her in until she pressed against him and he could feel the fluttering of her heart next to his chest. Lost in the moment, he bent his body into her, forcing her to give at the waist, wanting to have her as close as possible.

His mind whirled with the possibilities as he moved his lips against hers. He wanted her so much; his hunger for her was so strong. 

_ Rey. _

Her little hands pressed into his chest before she moved them up, and he felt her fingers grasp and cling at his lapels as he deepened his kiss, sliding his tongue out past his lips to trace along hers. He knew he was begging, but he couldn't bring himself to care. She was too perfect, and he could not get enough.

She was so warm, so alive, and she felt so wonderful in his arms. 

He felt her heartbeat ramp up when she registered he was licking at her mouth, and she gave a startled gasp, parting her lips just so. He wasted no time darting his tongue in to taste her more. 

He moaned, bringing her in flush against him. Logically he knew he was most likely constricting her, but he wanted her closer. She shifted her hands, slid them up, and  _ Oh _ , her fingers were weaving into his hair, and he could feel the slight pressure of her hands pulling him down closer to her. Kylo didn’t pause to think, he just stood up, taking her with him as he straightened, letting her feet dangle inches above the floor. 

Rey let out an adorable squeak, quickly wrapping her arms around his neck, clinging to him and surprised.

He chuckled, “I would never drop you, my darling. You’re safe,” he smiled and quickly kissed her parted lips, before stepping back over to the chaise lounge. Sliding his arms down her, he effortlessly maneuvered her to where she was lying down, keeping her arms wrapped around his neck, never taking his lips more than a breath's span from hers. 

As soon as he had her firmly supported, he surged forward, capturing her lips and claiming her mouth as his again. He let his hand drift along her legs, fingers caressing her through the satin and lace, dragging the heavy skirt up over her knees. He stilled his hand when he felt her start to shake. Small tremors radiating from her made him stop and let her get accustomed to the feeling of his hands on her. 

He brought his other hand up, brushing his fingers against her cheek, refocusing her attention on his face. He smiled at her, seeing her eyes so wide, seeing her irises were barely more than a thin ring around her pupils, hiding most of that hazel color he’d come to love. 

He returned his lips to hers, kisses seeking, seeking something to ease this hunger that was building in him. He trailed his kisses against Rey's cheek and jawline down to her throat. His impatience was winning as his hunger pulsed through him. 

_ Just a taste, _ he thought,  _ just a little taste to help me stay sane. _ Gently he sucked on her skin, pulling it taut in his mouth, running his tongue over her, caressing her. He thought he'd given her ample warning, but she gasped and tried to push him away when his fingers slipped in between her legs, wanting to touch her more intimately. 

She stiffened under him as his fingers grazed the soft flesh he was seeking. Kylo was startled by her movements and removed his hand from between her legs, only to pin her wrists above her head.

_ Take her. _ The thought echoed through his head. The ever-hungry beast inside him was near salivating for her.  _ She's right there! Right there beneath you - take her now! _

Kylo kept his face pressed against her throat, grinding his hardened member into her hip. She wasn't struggling as much now. Soft, breathy pants were escaping from her, and she was warm and flushed under him. He had to stifle his needful whimper. 

_ Maybe just a small taste. Nothing more than the smallest nick - just enough for a taste. _ He was desperate to have her essence in his mouth, on his tongue. He needed her in his veins. Carefully he pressed his fangs into her hot skin, feeling it give with the tiniest amount of pressure. There was almost no resistance at all.

She moaned a high thin sound, before renewing her struggles. Pushing and bucking with more of her body, pressing her chest harder against his. Her heart felt like a trapped bird trying to escape the cage of her body.

The movement only made more of her blood well and bead at the tiny puncture wounds. Kylo was lost to the sensations as he licked and sucked.

_ Heaven. _

Her blood was divine. It was everything he had dreamt it would be, and that had only been a drop of it.

“More,” he moaned. He wanted more, he  _ needed _ more.

“No!” she gasped, struggling harder, twisting and thrashing her hips and kicking her legs. 

Through his raptured hazed mind, Kylo realized she was fighting against him, against his hold on her. He tried to soothe her, kissing softly on her neck, wanting to take away any sting he might have caused. 

“NO!” she screamed, jerking her head back, pulling her throat from his mouth, taking that fountain of life he was worshipping away from him. Kylo leaned back and looked down at her. “No,” she panted, staring up at him with scared eyes. 

Scared. He had scared her.

_ No,  _ echoed through his mind now, she didn’t want him, didn’t want what he was. 

“Rey - I...” He watched as tears started filling her eyes and rolling down her red cheeks, no longer flushed from arousal but from fighting against him. Her eyes, those lovely hazel eyes, held such hostility now. She was angry at him, angry and scared. “Rey,” he tried again, but she cut him off.

“Out.” 

He blinked at her. Stunned. The intoxicating taste of her blood still lingering on his tongue, burning his soul and dulling his reactions. Surely she didn’t -

“Get. Out.”

Shame washed over him, followed quickly by loathing. He eased back, taking in her appearance. Rey's face was flushed and red, her eyes were glistening with unshed tears, and her dress rucked up exposing her legs, but above all, there was an angry welt on her neck swollen from his attention. Her blood still wept from her skin, leaving two small red wounds in the center from where he’d pricked her. 

He felt her fear and her disgust - at him and at herself. He moved away from her, faster than she could see, faster than the human eye could track. 

He fled. 

 

~

 

Rey sat for what felt like hours, just staring out the window, watching the sky, waiting for the sun to rise. She didn’t know what to think, what to feel. 

He, Kylo, had felt so alive, so warm in those few moments, dancing with her, holding her. Kissing her. He had made her heart race, and if she was truthful, knowing what he was had made it beat all the faster. But he’d only wanted one thing, after all. For all his words, for all he’d said he’d done for her, given her, he only wanted her body, her blood. Rey felt like a fool for thinking things might not have been as they appeared and that maybe he wasn’t toying with her. 

Sooner or later, his  _ kindness _ would come to an end and he’d tire of her. She would just have to endure until she was able to find some way to escape. 

 

~

 

He couldn’t stay away.

He returned in secret to observe her. If he was truthful with himself, he needed to see that she was still there. Logically, he knew there was no way for her to leave the Tower, as he’d had the place sealed from all but himself and the servants. No human would be able to pass through the hidden barrier. 

She was curled up asleep in one of the window seats. Kylo didn’t dare move her, though his heart ached to see her sleeping so uncomfortably curled up with her head leaning against the glass; he didn’t want her to know he had been there again. He gently brushed a strand of hair off her forehead, letting his knuckles skim over her cheek. 

He wanted so much to apologize, but he knew now was not the time. He would wait until the time was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, well, Kylo you....YOU! Can't do anything right can you? 
> 
> So this part was not (surprisingly) influenced by the Last Jedi, but man, it sure could have been. There were some great moments in TLJ and there were some awful things too, but I get that it's the middle, and the middle often times has the conflict that we hate seeing at first but LOVE after all things are said and done and the trilogy is complete. Just think of the best movie out of the IV, V and VI. It's Empire. No contest. My favorite and I'm hoping that the planned trajectory stays the course and we a great wonderful and fitting resolution for our everloving Reylo hearts to burst over with IX comes out.


	11. Time Heals All Wounds

The next evening found Rey sitting in the same window seat; this time she was reading. The book was clasped tightly in her hands and her nose nearly touched the pages. She was so engrossed in what had been written that she didn’t notice the vampire as he sat at the table, watching her.

When he politely cleared his throat, Rey jumped, her heart thudding in her chest. She knew who it was without looking up from the pages; who else would it be? She glanced up, briefly meeting his eyes and watching as he gestured to the table in front of him, once again ladened with platters and covered trays.

She let her eyes flick over the offerings and just as quickly dismissed it all as well as him. She could go an evening without. She’d done it before.

She returned to reading, but this time she was very aware of the other presence in the room. It put her on edge, making it impossible to immerse herself in the book again. But she persisted, stalwart in ignoring the vampire and the meal.

After what had to have been hours, he finally vanished. Rey breathed a sigh. Glancing out the window, she saw dawn had come.

  


~

  


“Rey, please speak to me,” came his pleading tone as she moved about the room, tidying up the couch pillows and placing books back on their shelves. She had decided to rearrange the library as a means to keep her mind occupied.

He’d come at dusk, the same as before, but this night he followed her. He shadowed her every move around the tower, doggedly stepping out of her way each time she moved around him. Rey wasn’t going to acknowledge him. She wasn’t going to indulge him in any way. He had yet to physically stop her, but he was practically breathing down her neck. Rey noticed he was looking at her neck as well when he wasn’t begging her to talk with him.

The skin of her neck hurt terribly today, and she had tried some of the creams and lotions that seemed to be multiplying near the bathing tub. Nothing had soothed the bruised and purple flesh. Just touching the two wounds had hurt, but she had wrapped a scarf around her neck anyway, wanting to hide away the evidence of where he’d touched her.

She tugged the scarf tighter and glared at him, wishing him gone from her.

  


~

  


_It seems that once one has accidentally enticed the eyes of a vampire, nothing will ever let you be free of them. This is true of Anakin and myself._

_Oh how I wish he were still my Anakin, but now I daresay when I look at him, more and more all I see is Darth Vader, Lord of Vampires._

_I know he still loves me, but that love has turned into something I cannot bear. He is jealous of the slightest conversations I have with anyone other than him. If I dare so much as look at another male, his rage is frightening._

_I’m beginning to worry that he will be jealous of the child. Our child. Oh, how do I tell him? How do I tell him we have created a new life? Will he be happy? Will this finally be the thing that brings my love back to me?_

Rey closed the diary and looked out the window. Her heart broke for Padme and what the woman had suffered. How similar their situations were. Both caught, trapped because of a jealous, controlling vampire.

She watched the sun sink lower and began to mentally prepare herself for him to arrive. He had never stopped coming to her each evening, no matter how much she ignored him. Her stony silence seemed to rip at him, the way his eyes seemed so broken and lost.

Rey sighed, forcing the memory of his eyes, loving and heated when he’d kissed her, out of her mind. Forcing herself to stop thinking about his lips, his hands, of how tenderly he’d caressed her. She wrapped the shawl tighter around her shoulders and rested her head against the glass, hoping sleep would take her and spare her his presence. He never disturbed her if she was sleeping.

  


~

  


Roses, so many roses filled the tables, the end stands. Virtually any flat surface now had a vase or two filled with white roses. Rey didn’t know it was possible for this many roses to exist. The scent was heady and overpowering.

She continued to look out the window.

  


~

  


One day she woke to find a white box, wrapped neatly and richly with a green silk bow. Since nothing came to her that wasn’t from him, she didn’t think too much about it. She even ignored it for the better part of the day. But by the time dusk was rolling in, curiosity got the better of her and she opened it.

A lovely necklace of diamonds and rubies lay inside on the black velvet bed. The whole look was ornate and over the top. The rubies hung like drops of blood. Rey closed the box and stored the necklace in the back of the wardrobe.

The ribbon was nice and felt soft in her fingers. She used it as a bookmarker for Padme’s diary, marking passages she wanted to read again.

  


~

 

 

The pattern continued for months on end.

He would come and sit, watching her, forlorn and broken by her rejection. She would do her best to ignore him and his open, hurt eyes til he left her in peace.

Rey watched the seasons change from her window, as much as things changed out in the wastelands, anyhow. She missed the feel of the wind on her face as she rode her speeder bike, the hardness of the earth under her feet, barely remember how different it was from the marble floors she had become accustomed to.

She knew she couldn’t go on like this anymore. She was at her wit’s end. She’d torn the entire tower apart, shelf by shelf, stand by stand. Gone over every wall and window. There was no way out of this prison. He must be able to enter and leave because he was a vampire and she, being human, was unable to leave.

That had to be it.

She realized she really was going to die in this room.

  


~

  


Kylo steeled himself yet again. He had hoped Rey would forgive him in time, but he was mistaken. She had rejected him more soundly than if she'd driven a wooden stake into his heart. She barely tolerated his presence, only glancing at him when she acknowledged him at all.

He had tried to be content with watching her, tried to be satisfied by being in the same space as her, but the memory of her in his arms and the feeling of her kiss haunted him. The sweet taste of her blood, he dreamed about it. Nothing he consumed had been able to abate this incessant longing, this craving for her.

He found her at her usual place, the window seat, but not with her nose buried in that book’s pages. Instead, her hands were clasped in her lap, the book off to her side, and her eyes were focused on him.

How he'd missed those hazel eyes. He stopped in his tracks, trying to piece together the changes he saw.

Gone was the shawl she'd become accustomed to having around her. Now she sat there in a gown she'd never chosen before. The deep red color made her skin seem pale and her hair darker by comparison. The low scoop neckline showed off her delicate collar bones and graceful neck, with only a hint of décolleté, but it was enough to make his mouth water.

He tried to speak, but his voice stuck in his throat. She just sat there, her eyes following his every movement as he took a hesitant step towards her. She seemed to be waiting for him to start the conversation. Was she waiting for him to apologize? Should he fall at her feet and beg her to forgive him?

Kylo didn’t know if she’d forgive him or even believe him, but he didn’t want to start off with just blurting his regrets. His eyes landed on that old worn book she was always reading. He spied the green ribbon from the necklace he’d left for her poking out between the pages. So at least she had used something he’d given her.

“I’ve often been curious, what book is that which has so captivated you?” He watches as her fingers reach out to trace the edge of the aged leather. She holds it in high regard, and he wishes he knew why.

“It’s your grandmother’s diary,” came her voice, rough and strained. He knew she hadn’t spoken to him in months, but this sounded like she hadn’t used her voice at all in that time.

Wait, Grandmother’s _diary?_ Had it been in this room the whole time? Why had he not known?

“I’ve learned a lot from Padme since coming here. You are never going to let me leave. I see that now,” Rey stood and slowly made her way over him.

Kylo held his ground, rooted to the spot as she stopping in from of him. She looked so forlorn, so melancholy as she stated that she understood now. She finally understood she belonged here with him...but why was she so sad?

“So here,” she raised her slender arm, presenting her wrist to him, “Take me. Take my blood and end my captivity.” She stood stock still, her face and a mix of resignation and despair.

He immediately recoiled from her as if she’d pressed a cross to his flesh. No! He never wanted to take her life!

“Please!” she advanced on him, still holding her wrist out like an offering. “It’s the only way for me to be free. Here! Take it!” There were tears in her eyes and her mouth trembled as she pleaded with him.

“ _No_! No, I don’t want to kill you! I want you with me!” he yelled back, glaring at her outstretched wrist and then back to her face.

Rey nearly yelled, wordlessly in frustration. Quicker than he’d thought possible she grabbed a knife off the table, and before he could reach to take it from her, she had drawn it across her wrist.

He stood frozen as the bright red line turned dark and her life’s blood welled and started dripping onto the floor. The tantalizing smell hit him. and his knees were weak at the aroma.

Her sweet nectar was right there, held out in front of him, offered up to him. Kylo felt his heart seize in his chest, and he knew his hunger was shining in his eyes. He held himself rigid as she walked up to him bearing her offering to his mouth, literally holding it under his nose.

“Kylo,” she gazed up at him softly, her other hand lying on his chest as she stepped into his body, pressing herself against him. “Please, take it. Take me.”

He swallowed, hard.

He was weak; he knew he felt his resolve fracture when face to face with her sad, pleading eyes, begging him to do what he’d been dreaming about since he’d first laid eyes on her.

He inhaled deeply before he reached up and gently took her clenched fist in his hand. He pulled her arm up. Starting at the long drip mark, he let his tongue lick up her skin, cleaning off her forearm, keeping his eyes on hers. 

He watched her shuddering intake of breath, a gasp so quiet that most would not have heard it, but he was not most people. He kept his eyes trained on hers as he let his lips slide over her wrist, licking at the wound and the blood that welled there.

Hot.

 

Sweet.

 

Intoxicating.

 

_Rey…_

 

He licked and lightly sucked, feeling the heady rush of her life course into him. He kept his mouth there, drinking in very little of her, allowing the wound to clot on its own, taking the time to savor her skin on his, to commit the feeling of her body pressed against him to memory, etching it onto his very soul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah....yeah. We already know I can be evil. So cliffy for now. 
> 
> Mainly due to the fact I GOT A NEW JOB!!!! I really couldn't focus on the melancholy and depressed emotions I needed for this chapter, as I'm the furthest thing from that state of mind right now! Yeah, new job in my field of graphic design! I'll be back to where I was (pay wise) to when I was laid off in 2011, which was far more comfortable then we are now, but I need not dwell on that now. 
> 
> As for the story, I had intended to have this be a longer chapter, but I wanted it proofed and posted today. I promise I'll get more written for next time and it will be HOT!!! For everything I have planned out, I'll need another whole chapter or two to get there. ;)
> 
> Big Thanks and Hugs to [Pandora_Spocks](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandora_Spocks/pseuds/Pandora_Spocks) for proofing this in the middle of the night!! She is wonderful about helping me stay in the correct tense. ~~Which when I get excited or rushed, goes all the Hell.~~


	12. The Sound Of Falling Stars

Rey thought he would break, she thought he would lose all sense of self-control when she offered herself to him. She had prepared herself for pain, thinking he’d be rough and hard and fast, but the feeling of his gentle sucking and the slow lingering of his tongue on her wrist was making her knees weak. 

She swayed a little, using her hand on his chest to brace herself as she continued to offer her wrist up to his mouth. She couldn’t look away as she watched him, his eyes closed as if he was in absolute rapture. Beneath her hand on top his chest she felt his heart giving a strong beat, followed by a long pause before it thumped again. She could feel it slowly it started to keep a steady rhythm.

She gasped when he pulled his lips from her skin. Rey watched as he opened his eyes slowly. His gaze was filled with a heated intensity that left her shivering as he wrapped his arm around her waist. He leaned down, bringing his lips just a breath away from hers.

“I live for you now. My heart beats only for you,” he whispered, pushing the words into her slightly opened mouth.    


Rey didn't understand the fluttering sensation his words provoked in her. Maybe it was how close he was or from how tightly he was holding her against him. Rey wasn't sure what was causing it, but she wanted him to kiss her again. She wanted to feel his gentleness one last time. She wanted to feel loved before she died.

“Please,” she breathed, looking down at his lips hungrily before looking back into his softly glowing eyes. She felt a shuddering breath leave him before he leaned down further, bringing his mouth to hers.

His arms encircled her, keeping their bodies flush against each other as his lips moved along hers. Rey wanted to lose herself in the kiss, wanted to let her fears go and just be swept away by his touch, his kiss. She wanted to forget everything and just feel this bliss until the end.

She slid her hands up, fingers exploring along his jaw and lightly caressing his cheeks. He pulled his head back, surprise written all over his face. She watched his eyes search her face.

“Take me,” she begged again, barely more than a soft breath, but she knew he'd heard her. She could see the shift in his eyes, as the certainty settled in him. Gently he cupped her jaw, his large hands splayed over most of her cheeks, before he lowered his mouth again. 

This kiss was hungrier than the first, deeper, heavier. It left her reeling as he plundered her mouth, keeping her gasping for air, but wanting his lips more instead. There came a small sharp feeling along her bottom lip, but Rey didn't realize what it was until she tasted her own blood. 

Kylo groaned in the back of his throat before sucking her nicked lip into his mouth. She felt him shift his hands, sliding down her shoulders, coming around her waist. He released her lip and eased back to look at her. Rey was breathless and dizzy, but she met his dark eyes with their strange inner light. 

“I accept your offer, my love,” he crooned, voice soft and low.

Rey could only stare at him, feeling the heavy pull of his eyes as he walked her backward. She felt like a soft, thick blanket had been wrapped around her, caressing and soothing her. Nothing mattered now, just his warm hands on her hips and his beautiful eyes looking into hers. It wasn't until she landed with her back on the bed that she felt the veil of his power lift and she realized Kylo was slowly shrugging off his vest. 

She felt her face heat up as he let the vest drop to the floor, all the while keeping his eyes locked on hers. She looked away when his hands moved to his belt. Rey didn't know how to contend with the emotions warring inside her; she had started this, had goaded him, waving her bleeding wrist practicality under his nose. Now here she was faced with the reality of the situation. 

His hand under her chin, gently turning her face back up to his, broke her out of her thoughts. Rey found herself looking deeply into those dark amber eyes. Vertigo tilted the world around her, and she found herself clinging to the only solid thing she could find.

Her arms were wound around his neck, and her body was pressed between Kylo and the bed. She realized they both were naked. When had that happened, she thought, and then wondered why she wasn't panicking. He was stroking his fingers along her cheek before softly gliding down her neck and into the hollow of her throat. Rey shivered, though she was far from cold. The vampire above her was warm, and Rey was stunned at how alive he looked.

She watched as he gazed down at her and unrestrained desire shown in his eyes. Her breath hitched when he ghosted his fingers down between her breasts, lightly trailing them across her navel. He brought his mouth back down, hovering over hers when his seeking fingers brushed against her. Rey gasped as his fingers grazed over her again, delicately stroking her.

Rey moaned softly as he continued to caress her, finding a rhythm that made her legs start to twitch and her hips jerk. His chest was mostly across her managing to hold her down while he made her writhe from his hand alone, his broad shoulders blocking the room from view. Rey clung to him as the first thread of her climax started to tighten. The feeling of something, some overwhelming sensation started to rise, and it was being spurred on by the movement of his fingers, slick now and moving faster than she could fathom.

Her moans were loud, broken sounding things, thin and breathy as he leaned onto her. She was vaguely aware of his hips pressed next to her thigh, of the hard length of his flesh rubbing her skin. For some reason that only made that cord of pleasure tighten faster in her. She looked up to see his face so close, yet far enough back that he was observing her with nothing short of devout reverence. 

The sight of his eyes, so intense and so focused on her was the final thing to push her over the edge. That cord of pleasure snapped in her and Rey arched up, crying out. Her eyes squeezed tight; tears leaked out of them as he continued to stimulate her, drawing her orgasm out for a long as possible. She writhed and strained until she slumped back down on the bed, boneless and limp in exhaustion. 

Warm lips kissed her cheek, and she felt his lips trail down, following the tears that ran down to her neck. She tensed, body freezing when she felt his lips graze her throat. Rey heard him chuckle softly and felt his smile as he pressed another feather-light kiss on her skin. 

Kylo began moving his fingers again, this time with more pressure, sliding them up and down, keeping time with his lips pressing kisses on her neck. Each pass of his fingers incited little gasps from her, just as each press of his lips caused her to tense up in anticipation of his bite.

He was moaning quietly in the back of his throat and Rey started to shiver, fighting against herself. She wanted him to get it over with, but his hand was starting to spark her arousal again. He sucked along her pulse and Rey seized up preparing herself for the pain of him breaking her skin. Instead, he pushed one large finger into her. She cried out and jerked her eyes open to look at him, her mouth hanging open as he started to gently thrust that finger in and out of her. 

Kylo brought his head up to look down at her and Rey saw he was flushed and panting in time with her as he worked her body closer to another peak. The one finger was joined by another, and she moaned out loud as she felt her body expand. All too soon her legs were shaking, and she was nearly clawing at his shoulders as he continued to pepper kisses along her neck and shoulder, sucking small red bruises while he moved his fingers inside her. 

Rey lay there spent and feeling like she was both weightless and yet so exhausted she couldn’t move a muscle. Her face was wet with more tears of pleasure leaking out as Kylo wrung out every ounce of pleasure he could from her body. The little fluttering sensations deep inside her were strange and something she didn’t even know was possible, feeling muscle move and clench, contracting with each orgasm he brought out of her. 

Her body was aching for something, and she didn’t know what that was. In her near delirium, she realized she was softly begging him. A strained and broken “Please,” passed her lips, and she saw his eyes widen as he moved over her again. 

She felt him slot his heated slick body next to hers, pressing something just as hot, if not more so into her wet swollen skin. The was hardly any pressure before she felt him breach her. Thick and blunt, with slow steady pressure, Rey tried to concentrate on the feeling, but then he placed a soft kiss on her neck.

Her breath caught in the back of her throat as he slid the rest of his body into hers. A pain like she had never felt before, large and dull and deep inside her was all she could focus on. Rey felt new tears well in her eyes. 

“Ssssh. Rey, look at me,” Kylo said softly, turning her face to his gently. She looked into his eyes, those softly glowing amber eyes that pulled her into him, wrapping his power around her. 

“Sssh.  _ There is no pain. There is only pleasure. _ There is only your body and mine. Together as one. As we were meant to be.” There was power behind his words, his power. Rey felt him withdraw and slowly slide back inside of her and the sensation was too much. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she moaned loudly as he repeated the motion. 

She could feel him holding her, his arms wrapped around her as he moved within her. Each stroke was blissful and she could feel it building. Closer and closer he was pushing her, with each thrust he gained strength, pushing deeper, keeping his pace even and slow, drawing out the feeling of him moving inside her. 

Rey was quickly coming undone beneath him, her body overstimulated. She could feel him everywhere, inside her body, inside her mind, surrounding her, holding her. Her voice had started to crack and break as she sang out her next imminent climax. She felt Kylo quicken his thrusting, going faster than before. He groaned, a deep near growling sound as he moved his mouth up over her collarbone and nibbling along her frantic pulse jumping under her skin.

This climax was blinding in its intensity, taking Rey’s sight and seizing her up taut. She heard Kylo moan in her ear before she felt him finally sink his fangs into her throat. Her pleasure doubled, and she gave a silent scream, voice cracking as she choked on the air frozen in her lungs. 

The longer he drank from her, the longer the orgasm ran through her. It felt like he drew it forever. The feeling of him holding her tight, of him deep inside her body, and of him drinking her life away made her swoon and Rey saw stars burst behind her eyes as she went limp in his arms before the world ran red before turning black. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this one is taking longer then I had planned on. 
> 
> Ok, so the New Job is great and challenging and I'm loving it!! I just need to get the scheduling worked out and I'll be all good. Can't relay in having days home alone during the week to write anymore. Have to manage my time better now.


	13. Requiem

Her breathing was slow and shallow. The pallor of her skin was so white, Kylo cringed inwardly as it compared to his own bloodless complexion. Rey had been unconscious for nearly an entire day. After their night together he hadn’t left her side, choosing instead to lower the metal shutters blocking out the coming dawn. 

He had been content to hold her sleeping form, but as the day progressed her heartbeat declined, and her body’s temperature had dropped. Kylo found she was not just asleep, but truly unresponsive when he had tried to rouse her to take some food and water, hoping that some form of sustenance would help revive his love.

He feared something was truly wrong, and he became terrified that he may have drunk too deeply and her body was unable to replenish the blood loss. 

He tried to think back, tried to sort through the haze in his mind, how much had he taken? He remembered he’d prolonged the moment for as long as he could, drawing out her pleasure as many times as he could. Her moans and little cries had made him dizzy with want.

Kylo sat there, watching her peaceful yet pale face, wishing her eyes would open. He remembered the way she had trembled beneath him. When she’d let him inside her body, he had felt her walls seize up, gripping his fingers so tightly. The feeling of pushing himself inside of her...Oh, how exquisite it had been, having himself buried as deep inside her as he could be. Feeling her body tighten and clench each time he’d brushed his lips against her throat. It had sent such a jolt of pleasure into him that he had repeated the action many times, each being rewarded by her body clenching him so sweetly. 

If he had known what would happen he would have stopped himself. He would have stopped at just taking her maidenhead and not her blood as well, but when he’d finally allowed himself to near his own peak and the ecstasy of his own release had overtaken him, he’d foolishly bitten her. The taste, the feeling of her blood filling his mouth, it had doubled, even tripled his pleasure. The longer he drank, the longer the sensation had been prolonged. He knew it had been the same for her as well. It had been evident in the way she had moaned, cried, and writhed under him. 

“Oh, Rey, I’m so sorry.” He held her hand, feeling her thready pulse just beneath his fingers as he lightly held her wrist. He brushed her hair back away from her face, following the line of her jaw to her throat. He gazed forlornly at the puncture marks in her skin. 

_ His marks.  _

_ He did this to her. _

He’d killed her then, he thought. He'd condemned her to die. 

_ NO!  _ No - no he will not let that happen; he will not let her die _ when he can give her a new life. _

Kylo brought his own wrist up to his mouth, biting harshly and taking in a mouthful of his own blood. 

_ From my Kiss of Death, I give you this Kiss of Life, _ he thought as he pressed his lips to her cold ones, passing his blood into her mouth. He kissed her deeply, feeling the blood pool before it slid down her throat. 

_ Drink, my love. Drink of me and come back to me. _

Kylo kept kissing her, wanting to feel her respond, wanting to feel her come back to him. 

He wanted to see her move again, open her eyes - anything. Anything. Just some small measure of reassurance that he hadn’t waited too long...that she wasn’t lost to him forever. 

He waited. 

  
  
  
  


 

And nothing. 

Her heartbeat was barely there. No! No! “NO!” he wailed, gripping the sheets, clutching at her waist. Kylo buried his face into her abdomen, letting the sheet soak up his blood-tinged tears as he sobbed out his regret, his broken heart.

He crawled over her, hunched over as he kept his face pressed next to her stomach. His tears slowed as he lets the familiar stillness seep back into him. He did this. He took Rey away from himself with his bloodlust. 

Her heartbeat was still there, but it was growing fainter with each passing moment. Kylo laid his head down, keeping his ear next to that slow soft beat that was still  _ Rey _ . He cradled her in his arms, careful not to jostle her. 

When she breathed her last, he decided that he would join her in death. He'd carry her outside and let the sunlight consume him with her in his arms. He'd be her funeral pyre. 

A small measure of peace came to him with that thought. His last act would be returning her to the world outside of their tower. If Rey was dead, then he had no reason to live. She was his world; she’d held his heart from the moment she'd set foot in this ruined citadel. 

He listened to her breathing, softer and softer as barely any air moved through her. Her heart gave one quite pulse, then...nothing.

Kylo held himself as still as possible, not believing this was her last. He willed it with all his might that he would feel just one more beat, that he could have just one more moment with his beloved.

A heart-wrenching cry tore from him as he listened to the silence. Nothing lived in this room anymore.

His fingers clutched at the bed while he pressed his forehead to her sternum. Grief, like he had never known before, threatened to strangle his mind and rob him of all his senses. A crushing weight settled over his heart, making it feel as though it had hardened into stone, so cold it had fallen into the pit of his stomach, leaving him achingly hollow on the inside. 

He stayed pressed against her for a long time, not wanting to move past this numbing cold that had settled in him.

He must be hallucinating, he thought, as he felt Rey take a shuddering breath. 

He dared to look up and saw her eyes glowing brightly back at him.

“My love,” he gasped.  _ Oh, Rey! _

He watched as she tried to talk but winced as her voice cracked. She licked her lips and tried again. “Thirsty, so...” her voice was barely a whisper, but nothing had ever sounded so beautiful to him.

“Of course, my love. Anything for you, anything,” he crooned cradling her head, raising her up just enough to hold her against his neck.

“Drink, my love. Drink.” Kylo tried to stifle the moan that left him as Rey’s dainty fangs broke through his skin.  _ Take your blood back.  _ He held her to him, feeling her body reawaken, feeling her mind open and crash into his. The feeling of her mouth latched onto his throat was quickly rending his self-control to tatters. He didn't let her drink her fill though, knowing that while his blood would be no less satisfying, it would not be the best to help her recover her mind, her personality or control.

Her little mewling sounds of protest as he leaned back broke the last remaining hold he had on himself. He quickly captured her lips in a deep kiss, tasting his blood still on her tongue. He greedily licked at the insides of her mouth, groaning in the back of his throat when he felt her fingers tangle in his hair. She started to pull his head back as she kissed her way back down to his neck.

_ Hungry little thing,  _ he thought, chuckling to himself as he pulled her hands from his hair. Looking into her burning hazel eyes, Kylo felt his heart surge with renewed life. Her lips were stained crimson, and she was nearly hissing at him as he held her still. Her fangs were just as precious as the rest of her. Her eyes were turning red in her ravenous state, her face thinning and hollow looking. 

“You are so beautiful, my love,” he said, bringing his thumb up to wipe some of the blood at the corner of her mouth, watching with awe as her little pink tongue darted out, trying to draw his fingers into her mouth. She tried to bite into the meat of his thumb, and when he pulled his hand away, she lunged at him. 

Stronger than he anticipated, she managed to straddle him, bringing her mouth back down before she buried her fangs in his flesh while pushing them both flat to the bed. Kylo laid there truly stunned for a moment, feeling her naked body firmly pressed into him, her lithe limbs locked around him as she lapped at the junction of his neck and shoulder. While he had never known a human turned vampire, he'd read about them. About how they have no control and are truly animalistic for first few nights. 

He brought his hands up, caressing along her arms as he slid them up into her hair. He moaned as she licked and sucked; the feeling of her so lost in feeding on him was driving him insane as well. He didn't try to control the soft roll of his hips as she wriggled over him. Rey had no idea she was pressed against his groin, but that didn't stop his body from reacting. 

Kylo considered it, tugging his trousers down and thrusting up into her while she fed on him. The idea of being inside her while she rode him, drinking him down - the visual was so tempting, it made him moan and grip her tighter.

He rolled them over, pinning her beneath him. He had to jerk his neck away from her mouth, knowing she still held some of his flesh between her teeth. It mattered little to him; his flesh was irrelevant right now.

“Rey!  _ Rey, look at me,”  _ he commanded, letting his power fill his voice.  _ “You will be calm. You will be still.” _

Rey looked at him, stilling for a moment before straining her neck and snapping her jaws at his throat again. 

He blinked at her in complete surprise. Was she really strong enough to disobey him, her sire?

“Rey, I see how hungry you are. Let's get you what you need, shall we?” He didn't try putting any power behind his words, but he did bring her upright, sitting her on the edge of the bed. He squeezed her in his arms, keeping one firm hand on the back of her neck. Almost like one would with a feral sandcat. 

Kylo smirked, looking down at Rey, her lips, chin and even the tip of her nose were smeared with blood. Yes, just like a feral kitten when given cream for the first time, he thought. 

She stayed still, long enough for him to slowly release his hold on her. He stood and quickly went about fetching her a large goblet filled with one of his more robust vintages. 

Kylo understood it might take some time before the first of the bloodlust left her, and until then he needed to keep her from doing things she might regret. Himself as well, he thought, remembering the feel of her pressed against him. He would need to keep himself in check as well.

Kylo smiled as he saw her watching him; her eyes followed his every movement as he brought the large goblet to her. Yes, he would like nothing more than to stay with her and guide her, teach her, love her now and forever. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is, the END (but fear not I'll think up some kind of epilogue to round this one out, just like I tend to do). BUT I really want to know, was he a monster in this one? Did he stay one or redeem himself with his love? OR was he just a selfish bastard the whole time?
> 
> As always I owe one hell of a debt to my beta, [Pandora_Spocks](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandora_Spocks/pseuds/Pandora_Spocks) on this one. I could not stay in proper tense AT ALL while writing this chapter. My brain was all over the place trying to get the emotional descriptions correct. I should have realized that grief was still to fucking close to the surface for me right now. Oh well. I live. That is what is important. AND she was able to pick up on the fact I deviated from my original idea and pointed out it was stronger then what I went with. See, this just goes to show that sometimes your first idea is often the better of the two...that and I was tired and lazy. XD


	14. Epilogue - Tempus Fugit

The nighttime sea air caressed her face while Rey stood on the deck of the ship. She marveled at the sheer amount of stars she could see now. Was it the lack of light out here on the water or was it her new eyes, she wondered? The breeze ruffled her hair, pulling it back from her face, only to softly brush it back across her cheek. 

So many things were different now, Kylo being chief among them, but then, she thought, she was different now too. 

Familiar strong arms wound themselves around her middle, pulling her against a firm chest. 

“Dreaming or stargazing, my love?” Kylo asked nuzzling his nose behind her ear.

“Reminiscing, more like it,” she said as she leaned back into him. 

“Oh? Reminiscing about what?”

“Leaving the tower,” she said with a contented sigh. That had been one of the happiest days Rey had enjoyed in quite some time. 

He groaned and dropped his forehead onto her shoulder, “Are you ever going to let me live that down?” he asked, his voice muffled by the leather of her overcoat. 

She laughed and turned in his arms, hugging him about the waist as they swayed to her laughter. 

Rey remembered that day vividly. She had woken from their daily slumber and found that her mind was finally clear of the haze of bloodlust. It had felt like the first breath of cold clear air after a snow. Her mind had felt sharp and alert. The world had glowed at the edges. Hyper-aware of the rainbow hue that danced on every surface, Rey had walked around the tower til she found the door leading out. 

She had barely spared a glance at Kylo’s exhausted form lying prone on their bed. He had not left her side the entire time she had been out of her mind. Keeping himself as her constant companion had been nothing new, but being her constant source of blood - well, she had been draining him each and every time he had let her.    


Rey had wandered the ruins for hours, peering with impunity into every room. Every darkened, dirty, dusty and forgotten corner of the citadel had become hers to explore. She had been delighted to finally see the servants that scurried to and fro, the ones who had brought her meals and provided her with clothing and hot water. Rey greeted each new being she met warmly and was no longer frightened by their glowing eyes, long claws, or wrinkled shrunken features.     


She understood she was one of them now. 

Shades and wraiths shifted and bowed as she passed, trailing through the dust that clung to the hem of her now stained and tattered gown. 

Rey made her way down to the grand hall, finding her eyes were able to make out the details that were hidden from her the first time she had stood in the room. There, far above her, no longer hidden in the gloom and darkness, was the portrait of Darth Vader, Lord of Vampires, and seated at his side was Padme. 

Rey smiled to herself, finally able to put a face to the sweet person who had helped guide her to her ultimate decision. 

It was there in the dark and dank room filled with a soft calm that Kylo had burst in to find her sitting peacefully at the only table with a half-full glass in her hand, studying the painting. 

“Rey!” He was flushed, scared and panicked as he rushed to her, grabbing her and gripping her like she was the last solid thing in the world.

“What?! Where? - How….WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME!?” he bellowed once he set her back down on her feet.

To which Rey barely lifted her eyebrow. “Really? Kylo, where would I go?” she replied calmly, waiting for him to quiet his mind just as he had been telling her she needed to do these last few weeks.

“Calm down, I’m not going anywhere.” She held her glass out to him. “Here, have a drink.” She waited for her words to penetrate his addled mind. 

She watched as his labored breathing had slowed to great gasping lungfuls and he sank down in front of her, placing his head on her knees. She gently brushed his tangled waves back from his brow and waited. Waited for him to come to his senses. 

“You’re not?” Kylo asked in a small voice, and Rey could feel he was holding himself back, holding himself in check, not wanting to show just how needy he really was.

“No, you paranoid, insecure idiot. I’m not leaving you. Not now, not ever,” she said softly, taking the sting out of her words, still running her fingers through his hair. She felt him take a shuddering breath, hugging her legs to him as he gave a low sob. 

“But,” she said crisply, watching his head jerk up and his eyes snapped to hers, fear and rejection clear as the sun in them. 

“But?” he questioned gravely, and she watched as he steeled himself for whatever horrible ultimatum she was holding over him. 

Rey smiled, wide enough that she felt her lips slide past her fangs, and she knew her eyes were glowing as she felt her power rise. 

“I said I’m not leaving you, but I want to leave here. Leave this place. I want to travel. I want to see the world and I want you to show it to me,” she said softly, gently caressing his face, smoothing the worried look from his countenance. 

“Oh...I, um. Yes?” he stammered, clearly unsure of what he should do or say.

Rey laughed and pulled them both to their feet. She hugged him and felt his arms wind around her. 

“You’re...you’re not...mad at me? Now that, that your mind is back?” he asked too softly, afraid of the answer, it seemed.

“No. I’m not mad, Kylo. I can finally leave that room and you don’t need to be afraid of anything hurting me ever again.” She pulled back just enough to look up at his face. 

Rey smiled again before she stood up on her tiptoes to place a gentle kiss on his lips. 

It had only taken him a moment to respond. 

  
  


_ ~fin _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are at the end of another of my Monster stories. This one was fun, well they all are fun, but I rather enjoyed the Vampire...here's hoping the Demon will be just as fun!!

**Author's Note:**

> So welcome to the next installment in my Monsters series. This one has got an odd blend of post apocalyptic survival, sci-fi tech, Gothic overtones and oh yeah, a Vampire Kylo Ren. If you are familiar with Vampire Hunter D, you will be able to understand how I can blend all that together and make it work...or at least try too. 
> 
> With my upcoming hectic schedule, I am going to attempt to post new chapters every two weeks, give or take. I'm flying solo (oh yeah, love that pun!) on this one, so feel free to point and laugh at my grammatical errors. Even though English is my first (and only) language, it still trips me up from time to time.


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